Fate's Palette
by ShiroMinako
Summary: AU. Naruto is cool, pretentious and never came across something he couldn't have. Sasuke is diplomatic, charming and uninterested in a fling. And when forced to collide, fate's palette paints a picture for them. NARUxSASU
1. The Life of Namikaze Naruto

Alrighty. This is my first crack at writing any type of fan fiction story, let alone an NSN fan fiction. I hope I do my fandom justice :)

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><p>Chapter 1: The Life of Namikaze Naruto<p>

Naruto sat on the hard, metal cot. It was precariously attached to the concrete wall behind him with the metal bunk bed looming above him, just inches from him slamming his head against if he wasn't careful. He slumped over, his elbows resting on his knee and his lazy head being held up by his palm. Outside of his cramped and overly gray cell were countless other cells, all peopled by various different criminals and vagrants, all with the same orange jumpsuit on. Naruto sneered. Orange wasn't a good look for _anyone_.

Naruto laid back on the thin, uncomfortable pillow on his small cot, his legs still dangling over the side of the bed. He was too tall to fit on the cot, although that was the least of his problems. What was the most of his problems? Any normal 22-year-old would say it's pretty problematic to find yourself in jail - unrightfully, at that. A normal 22-year-old would say it's problematic to have dragged your best friend down with you when all he was trying to do was break up the fight. A normal 22-year-old would say that it's also problematic to have a throbbing wrist and no solid plan to get out of this hell hole. But for _this _22-year-old, these were _not_ his biggest problems. His biggest problem was his father. Any normal 22-year-old would find a helpful dad as the least of their problems. But this was the life of Namikaze Naruto - and he was not a normal 22-year-old.

"Do you think your dad is gunna kill us?" Shikamaru asked from the cot above Naruto's. Naruto snorted in reply.

"What do you think?" he muttered with amusement. This wasn't his first time at the rodeo. His people-pleasing, overly good natured and loveable - not to mention filthy rich and powerful - father would be making his way down the corridor to bail him out in no time. And, just like always, Naruto would pitch a fit and complain that if he got himself into this mess, he could get himself out - both of them knowing that he in fact could not live up to that promise. He was so predictable - and he didn't know if he was referring to himself or his father. In reality, Naruto wished that his predictable dad _wouldn't_ come save the day. There was also a sense of guilt in Naruto each time his dad came to clean up the mess he made. Maybe it was the fact that his father was willing to give a world of chances to his troublesome son. Maybe it was because he knew his father was the incumbent this year and if/when the press heard about this debacle (which they always did) it would only serve to hurt his father's platform.

"You really messed up this time, you know, man," Shikamaru crossed his arms under his head and looked to the ceiling, pretending he was in a field, looking up at the open, starry sky rather than the dingy stucco ceiling he was actually gazing towards.

"It's not my fault," Naruto responded dismissively. Jails didn't even scare him anymore. Was that bad? He figured it was bad, but did nothing about it.

"Don't even go there," Shikamaru replied. "You just have to let things go sometimes." But "letting go" wasn't exactly Naruto's forte. He didn't like to let things go. He didn't like when he heard snappy comments or backhanded jokes in his name. He didn't like when he was ganged up on. He especially didn't like hearing some low-life loser hanging outside of a night club at 1 A.M talk about how hot his mother is and how they'd like to fuck her if they ever got the chance. Naruto knew he had a short temper, but he also knew people were stupid for crossing him, for thinking that he would hold back or be polite just because his father was the leader of Konoha. Because he won't. He never has and he never will.

After a long pause and no response from the blonde-haired boy, Shikamaru forfeited from trying to reason with his friend and chose to fall asleep. Within minutes he was unconscious.

In truth, Naruto felt responsible for getting Shikamaru involved. Naruto was just standing up for his mother, and Shikamaru was just standing up his friend. Naruto shut his eyes and replayed the moment over and over again. Shikamaru intervened to break up the fight, but was instead slammed to the pavement and kicked in the back of the head. That was just moments before the police came and those two horrible pieces of shit ran off. Naruto remembers watching blood spill out of Shikamaru's nose. He's surprised he didn't have to go to the hospital. He was surprised he didn't turn around and punch Naruto in the face - that's what Naruto would have done had the tables been turned. It was Naruto's fault that happened to him. Shikamaru passed out in the back of the cop car on the way to the station, but regained consciousness just in time for his mug shot to be taken, which involved a piece of a tissue shoved up his bleeding nose and a couple of tears he had hid from Naruto, who was a regular to mug shots these days and feared nothing, especially his picture being taken. Thinking back on the past three hours he and his friend had been through, Naruto's eyes slowly began to flutter closed.

-NSNSNS-

Naruto awoke forty minutes later to a familiarly cool, calm and collected voice with similar footsteps making its way down towards his cell. He knew that tone. He knew that pace. That was Namikaze Minato trying to act as if he wasn't have a mental breakdown on the inside. That was his dad trying to pretend he wasn't making a routinely trip down to the Konoha Jailhouse to pick up his son, the way he used to pick him up from the academy every day after school.

Naruto leapt up from his cell and raked a hand through his golden hair. He stretched backwards, not realizing just how stiff that cot was. Funny, this was his third time in prison but the first time he ever fell asleep here.

The footsteps got louder until he saw an officer, his father and his father's bodyguard approach the cell.

"Hey there, Kazuo!" Naruto said cheerfully. "I haven't seen you since I was here this past summer," he said nonchalantly, waving at the officer who was escorting his father. Kazuo chose not to reply. Naruto was known for being viciously light-hearted while imprisoned. Instead, he opened the door to the young man's cell and stepped aside.

"You're free to go, you and Mr. Nara," he said, looking up at Shikamaru, who was still dead asleep. Naruto reached over and poked at Shikamaru's arm until he startled awake with a messy grown and a yawn. Only Shikamaru could enter any type of deep sleep on a prison cot.

"Come on, Shikamaru," Minato said calmly. "Let's get you home, I'm sure your mother is worried sick about you." Silently, Shikamaru sleepily crawled down the metal ladder and hopped onto the ground, walking past Naruto and exiting the jail cell. This was his first time being arrested and, as far as he was concerned, his final time. In truth, Shikamaru was terrorized from the experience and already planned to cry in his bedroom for the remainder day when he got home.

"You three go on ahead," Minato motioned away Shikamaru, his bodyguard and the officer. He waited a few moments until they were gone to make eye contact with his son.

Naruto let a deep breath out, expecting some sort of meaningless and emotional death threat to come his way but instead he got a silent, emotionless look from his father before he walked away. Naruto quickly followed, swallowing the hard lump in his throat that coupled with his dad's silent treatment. The last time Minato bailed him out, he was matter-of-factly backhanded across the cheek and told to not "break his mother's heart ever again". The time before that he was shoved repeatedly against the wall of his jail cell as his kindhearted father tried hiding his tears but failed to do so, so instead hugged Naruto as tight as possible while crying into his shoulder. Silence? Silence was a new form of punishment. Silence could possibly be worse than any previous punishment. It was a white flag. It was Minato saying, 'Alright, I get it. You'll never grow up.' It was also a sign that his mom would be angry, loud and violent enough for the both of them, which sent a shiver down Naruto's spine. An angry mom was far worse than any sort of capital punishment.

After about half an hour of bail payments and checks being passed back and forth from Minato to the desk clerk in the Police Office, the four all quietly moved into Minato's personal stretch limo. The silence inside the car was gray and heavy. Everyone wanted either an apology or wanted to give one. Shikamaru had been eyeing Minato with shame and remorse since he wrote out a personal check covering Shikamaru's bail, which he overheard was a little over two thousand dollars. Not that it was a large sum of money for Minato Namikaze, because it wasn't. But to Shikamaru, who grew up in a modest home, it was a lot. He felt as if he owed him his firstborn child. But that was Minato. That was why Minato was the leader of Konoha: because he was kind, generous and had everyone's best interest at heart. He was friendly and polite and when he talked to you he made you feel like he didn't care about anyone else even half as much as he cared about you. And Shikamaru felt very cared for at that moment. He looked over at his young friend, who was slumped over in his seat with a cavalier look on his face. He was picking dry blood out from under his fingernails. Shikamaru had the urge to punch him, knowing Naruto didn't - and never would - be nearly as grateful to his father as he should be.

The limousine stopped in front of the Nara home to let Shikamaru out. The chauffeur came around and opened the car door for him. Shikamaru looked over at Naruto who nodded a silent goodbye to him. Shikamaru climbed out from the car and turned to face Minato, aspiring to fall to his knees and thank him endlessly for all he has done. Instead, he couldn't voice anything aside from "Thank you for the ride home" to which Minato replied with, "Anytime, Shikamaru".

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><p>The sleek, sable limousine stopped in the driveway of the Namikaze Manor. Once more the chauffeur came around and opened the door. First Minato's bodyguard exited, then Minato, then Naruto. It wasn't until Naruto stepped outside of the car did he realize that the sun had just begun to wake up and face the day. It wasn't until Naruto saw the sunrise did he realize that he was ready to go to sleep.<p>

"NARUTO!" Naruto jerked back into reality and saw his mother burst through the front down and angrily storm down the stairs and into the driveway, welcoming him home with a slap to the face. She violently grabbed his arm, shook him, and dragged him inside, continuing her rampage with shrill yells about how much he has dishonored his family and embarrassed his father who will now have to face the consequences for his stupid son's actions. She shoved him into the kitchen and slammed the doors behind her. Kushina, who was too worked up to sit, paced back and forth. She stopped pacing only to smite her fist to the table, the floral centerpiece bouncing up off of the mahogany a good inch and a half. Naruto watched it topple back to it's original spot as he took a seat at the table.

"Do you even _care_ what you have done?" she asked him rhetorically. "You could've been killed! You got your friend not only hurt but also imprisoned! What were you _thinking_?" she asked loudly. Naruto stared up at her and blinked slowly. He knew she didn't actually want an answer from him. She liked answering her own questions. "That's right! You weren't thinking! You're never thinking!"

"I was thinking this time, mom," he breathed, folding his arms on the table and placing his head on them. "I _was_ thinking." And truthfully, he had been thinking. Naruto would be the first to admit that his first two times being arrested were completely his fault and completely unnecessary. But this time, Naruto would do it over and over again if he had to.

"Liar!" she smacked him on the back of the head as she paced behind him. "You're hurting your father's career! Do you think it's fair that he has to run around in the middle of the night, bailing you out? Do you think he likes having to hold press conferences to assure Konoha that you're _not_ just a troublemaker?"

In retrospect, Naruto did feel bad that his father had to get involved. At the same time, however, he didn't ask for his help. He was four years into adulthood and any actions he took were his responsibility - no one else's. It wasn't his fault that his dad openly babied him. It also wasn't his fault that his dad was in the public eye. That was his own decision, getting involved in a leadership role. Naruto couldn't live his life quietly just to appease the public. If he wanted to live it up while he was young - which he did - then he was going to, whether that discounted him as a troublemaker or not. If Naruto were asked, he would just say he's "unlucky" or "always at the wrong place at the wrong time".

Naruto looked up at his father who quietly entered the room alone and sat down across the table from him. He was weary and quiet and his lips were dry and he had bags under his eyes from a lack of sleep. "Sorry, dad," he said softly. Minato looked up at his son with a small smile, a sign of his acceptance of his sons apology. Naruto returned the smile. Kushina smacked him again.

"Say it like you mean it!" His mother was never nearly as quick to forgive as his father was.

"I did mean it!" Naruto protested, rubbing the back of his throbbing head. "I am sorry!"

"Sorry for what," Kushina spat back.

"I'm sorry for getting into another fight!" he jumped up in a fit of overwhelming enthusiasm to get his apology out. He was certainly his mother's son - just as easily excitable and theatrical as she was. "This time it was different! I was right this time!" he defended, always pleading. Kushina rolled her eyes and walked off with sass.

"You say that every time," she said. Seeing her son get worked up, she was beginning to calm down. That's what always happened - the minute Naruto became as worked up as Kushina was, she relaxed more - but not enough to sit down or stand still. She folded her arms across her chest and continued to pace behind her husband, who stayed quiet. He knew it was best for the two hardheaded fighters to battle one another and tire out before stepping in to play referee.

"Well I mean it this time," he said solidly. "Look, I'm not repeating what this jackass said, but it was enough for me to have an axe to grind with him. And it was about you, so you're welcome." Kushina gave a look of surprise. She had never heard of Naruto defending her in a fight. The last few times he had been in a fight he was either dishing out a vendetta or receiving one. "He was a disgusting pig and he deserved what he got. Shikamaru was just trying to get me home without making a scene but ended up getting in the middle of it. After he got hurt the police came around and the two guys ran off." After a long pause she accepted what Naruto had said as truth and sat down next to her husband. "I bet they didn't even get caught, motherfuckers," he muttered bitterly to himself.

"Naruto," Minato said, folding his fingers into one another. "We've been debating this for a while. Since your constant need to brawl is becoming more and more of an issue." Minato took his wife's hand and looked at her sincerely. She nodded in approval. Naruto's eyes darted back and forth from one parent to the other. Minato looked back at his son. "Your mother and I have decided that it's what's best for right now." Naruto blinked in reply.

"Are you disowning me? Sending me off to some island off the coast of Kirigakure, never to see me again? Are you putting me on an ice cube diet so I slowly die off from malnutrition?" His tone was irritatingly apathetic. Kushina winced to hear his words.

"No," Minato continued, hiding a small smirk from his son's sarcasm. He always found his son humorous when he was being melodramatic. "We're getting you a bodyguard."

Naruto nearly jumped from his skin. "A _what_?!" he exclaimed. "_Why_? What am I, some little princess?"

"Your constant need to get in fights has only been increasing as you've gotten older and we're trying to protect you-"

"I don't need protection." He said curtly. This time he was the one too upset to sit down or stand still, and he began to pace around the table like a shark closing in on its kill, just as he had seen his mother do since he was a young boy. "And clearly, as seen from all of my 'fighting' I can handle myself," said Naruto, using air quotes.

"One day we won't be here to bail you out. One day you'll find yourself against someone a lot stronger than you and the next thing you know you'll be dead," Minato said. "Come next week, your mother and I will be on a one month business trip to Sunagakure and you'll be here in Konoha all by yourself."

"I have Grandpa Jiraiya and Granny Tsunade if I run into trouble, I don't need some babysitter," Naruto cut in smartly. "And I'm 22 you know, I'm sort of old enough to take care of myself."

"This isn't a babysitter, it's a bodyguard," Kushina responded, watching her son rapidly pace around the kitchen table.

"Well I don't need a fucking bodyguard!" he yelled before recoiling quickly; he had forgotten he was talking to his parents. No cussing allowed. Kushina stood up to smack him but Minato snatched her wrist before she could. "I don't need a bodyguard," he repeated, minus the swear. Kushina sat back down with a huff.

"Jiraiya and Tsunade are busy with their art gallery. They're opening a new location in a few weeks, you know that. And they're not here to make sure you stay out of trouble," Minato retorted. "Let's just try this on a temporary basis. All he will do is stay here in the house and follow you in public," Minato said.

"Oh, so you're hiring someone to stalk me," Naruto mocked immaturely.

"No, of course not," Minato sputtered. "Look Naruto, you can pout and whine all you want but this decision is final. We're giving this a shot so you can either accept it like a young gentleman or you can be negative about it and live miserably. Either way, it's happening." Naruto stuck his nose up to his father, his lip in full-on pouting mode. He wasn't sure why his father was retracting all of his words by now - the puppy dog look _always_ works.

"You're hiring someone to stalk my life," Naruto verified.

"Bodyguards don't stalk people. Take a look at my bodyguard, Yamato. It's as if he isn't even there, but when I need him, I can always count on him to be at an arm's distance from me." Minato beamed proudly. It took him many years to secure such a fine and respectable body guard such as Yamato, who was standing just outside the kitchen door at the moment.

"You're the Hokage, a high political figure of Konoha," Naruto replied. "It makes sense for you to need a bodyguard."

"And it makes sense for you to have one too, you rotten child," Kushina said fiercely. "You're always getting yourself into bad situations."

"That's not true! Bad situations find me, not the other way around," Naruto cocked his head with a half-smile, challenging his mother's feisty glare. She flipped her hair with a scoff and looked to Minato for reasoning.

"Well either way you'll have someone there to take care of you," Minato said professionally. Naruto knew there was little point in replying; he wasn't going to win this argument, at least not right now. He knew it was his overbearing mother who put Minato up to this. For years Naruto had considered his dad to be his best friend. He was always in his corner. It wasn't until his adolescent years ended that Minato began to side more with Kushina than Naruto - and Kushina was always against Naruto. Naruto knew that the minute he got friendly alone time with his father he could manage to sway his impressionable mind. After all, how could he deny his firstborn son?

While Naruto chose not to continue the hopeless argument, he was, however, already scheming of all the ways he was going to torture this new bodyguard of his to get him to quit as soon as possible. Naruto tried to hide a small, mischievous smile. As a child he had always been a pro at being horribly overwhelming and reckless when he was cared for by nannies and babysitters. This caused a long chain of caretakers to look after him once, then never show their face at the Namikaze Manor ever again, despite all of Kushina's kind and pleading messages on their answering machines. Naruto really hated being care for by others and he was really good at getting rid of them.

Minato sleepily blinked and Kushina leapt up, murmuring something about making coffee for everyone. Naruto kept his eyes peeled on his father. He knew his dark gaze wouldn't sway his father's decision, but it would make the decision very hard for him and, for Naruto, that was enough right now.

Kushina set a tray consisting of two small cups and a pot of coffee between her husband and son before returning to the kitchen to make a light breakfast. Naruto reached for the coffee first, pouring them both a cup. He spooned two teaspoons of sugar into his father's coffee, swirled it around and gently slid the hot cup over to his dad. He then poured himself a cup of black and sipped it lightly. It was the first comforting and warm thing he had had in many long hours.

"So do you have one in mind then?" Naruto asked. "A bodyguard, I mean. I'm assuming since your bodyguard was hand chosen from the ANBU Black Ops then mine will be from the same ranks?"

Minato guzzled his coffee down before replying. He smacked his lips together in deep thought. "Ahh, well, no, not quite," he replied hesitantly.

Not quite? What was that supposed to mean? "Well where else would you get one from?" Naruto stuttered, shaking his head in confusion. Naruto shoved a spoon into his black coffee and began hastily mixing it out of boredom and newfound anxiety. "Isn't the ANBU under your control? They're the best out there."

"Actually," Kushina cut in, pouring pancake mix into a hot pan. "They're not anymore." She smiled a competitive smile that was only ever directed at Naruto. This meant that she had full reign of choosing his bodyguard. Naruto's eyes slid to the corner of his face and he sent her a cutthroat frown before taking another drink of coffee.

"Anymore?" Naruto repeated condescendingly.

"Just recently a silently powerful family has taken back the reigns of supremacy," Minato told him.

"Taken back? Reigns of supremacy?" Naruto repeated once again.

"Some of the best known snipers have come out of the woodworks and all trace back to this clan."

"Clan?" He was beginning to become more interested. "Who? What? Have I ever heard of them?"

"Probably," Minato sipped his coffee. "Their headquarters are out of Konoha's boundary lines and they own a small portion of the Fire Country themselves."

Naruto blinked a few times. "Are we talking about Uchihas?" he asked softly. Minato sipped his coffee in reply.

"Uchihas!" Naruto flung up from his seat once more, knocking over the centerpiece of flowers. "You're gunna surround me with _Uchihas_?" He slammed the palm of his hand onto the thick table. Minato must hate him. There couldn't be any other rational thought process as to why he would choose a "bodyguard" from the Uchiha Clan - the wealthiest, most powerfully deadly and cold-hearted clan in the history of… well, anything, really. "We're talking about the clan who held control over Konoha a while back?" His father nodded silently. "The clan who took out the Hashirama Senju in order to gain that control?" His father nodded silently once more.

"Yes, you see, back in the day I went to school with Fugaku Uchiha, the current Head of Clan to the Uchihas and-"

"You're handing me over to the _Head_ of that clan?! Why don't you just kill me now! They're a bunch of thugs! It a large family gang! I thought you were trying to keep me out of trouble, now you're sending me straight to Satan's spawn?!" Naruto rampaged. His pacing began again, with loud stomps making the china set in the cabinets gracefully clink together as his heavy foot met the stone floor.

"Relax, Naruto-"

"Relax!?"

"Things are different now," Kushina said, cutting the soft pancakes before dousing them in maple syrup and handing the plate to Naruto, who angrily snatched it and walked away. "This isn't the same Head who tried overpowering Konoha. That was Madara Uchiha. He's been dead for many years now and since Fugaku-san took over as the chief of the clan, things have been much better."

"That's a clan of hit men," Naruto deadpanned.

"It's a clan of people who do various services for people who cannot do those services themselves," Minato corrected. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"So it's a clan of hit men."

"No," Minato replied patiently. Kushina set a plate of pancakes before him and sat down with her own plate as well. "The Uchiha's do all sorts of undercover and top secret missions. Truthfully, I've used them quite a few times in the past. Whenever I have a public press conference, there are Uchihas around, you know," Naruto's eyes widened upon hearing this. "And I'll have four around your mother and I as we head to Sunagakure next month for our business trip." Naruto, suddenly loosing his appetite, pushed away his plate of untouched food and leaned back in his seat. He exhaled loudly and unwaveringly glowered at the cup of sugar before him on the coffee tray. He was looking back on each family vacation-turned-business trip and each press conference he's ever been to, trying to remember any kind of unfamiliar face around him. He had never seen anyone suspicious during any of those memories and although he had never seen an Uchiha in person before, he'd like to think he'd be able to recognize one: they're known for their dark features and emotionless expressions. They're known for perfecting the silent kill method, making them a fabulous clan to hire when you need protection, revenge, or anything that involved under-the-table violence, really. They were a clan of phlegmatical murderers. It was common knowledge to everyone: if you ever see one, flee as fast as possible. Do not engage.

"I had contacted my old friend Fugaku a while back, giving him light to your insatiable desire to need protection," Minato said politically. "I asked for his personal best Uchiha to bodyguard you, which is his eldest son, Itachi Uchiha. I've had him at a few of my press conferences," he admitted. Naruto was barely listening. "Unfortunately, Itachi is off on an important mission and cannot help this month so Fugaku said he would send his next best clansman." Minato looked up at Naruto. "Which is his other son, Sasuke." Naruto continued to blink steadily at the cup of sugar. "Who will arrive within the next few days."

The next few days.

So he'd only have a few days left of a nice, uninterrupted life.

"After that skirmish in the summertime that also landed you in prison, we contacted Fugaku and forewarned him that we may be in need of his assistance in the future. After getting out of prison that second time you seemed to improve a little bit though, so we didn't," Kushina frowned. "Until last night. So when the Chief of Police called to inform me that my little boy was back in jail, your father and I decided we couldn't hold back any longer. We needed someone to intervene."

He looked up quickly at the couple. Completely ignoring everything his mother had just told him, he asked, "I thought you two weren't leaving until next week?" He pursed his lips. "Why would this Sasuke guy come in a few days if you two will still be here?"

"It's true, we aren't leaving until next week," Kushina clarified. "But we'd at least like to meet the man who will be watching our son before we leave. That way if it doesn't sit well with you, we have time to find a new bodyguard." She smiled sweetly, trying to appease her disgruntled son.

Naruto gulped down his coffee to hid a rising grin. All he heard was that he had a week to make sure this Sasuke character wished he had never accepted to bodyguard him. Perfect. That was more than enough time for Naruto to raise hell. By the end of the week he'd be leaving, never to return, and his parents would be forced to give him an ANBU watchdog instead. And while, granted, _no _bodyguard is better than any bodyguard, the ANBU was far better than a group of untrustworthy, unemotional sociopaths. It didn't hurt that, having grown up in a well-off, well-protected home, Naruto had met with and befriended many ANBU members and frequently would hang out with them in their downtime. Maybe by the end of the week he could even convince his parents to let _him_ chose his own bodyguard, seeing as their choice was such a terrible match for him. If Naruto had his way, he'd have Sai, one of his closest friends, as his bodyguard in no time. Or maybe even Kakashi, who was like an uncle to him and had taught Naruto simple karate moves and let him read his dirty porno books when he was thirteen.

Because after all, a close friend as a bodyguard could possibly be better than no bodyguard at all.

* * *

><p>Yay! I finished the first chapter! I realize it was fairly long (sorry!) I'm just overly detailed in that way. If you dislike it, I'll try to work on it. Anyway, thank you for reading and please review and tell me what you likeddisliked about it!


	2. Beautiful Company

Yay! Thank you to everyone who read Chapter one, and a big thank you to the ten of you who reviewed it! I very much so appreciate the support from you all! :)

Also, if you like my writing so far and if you like NaruSasu (which I'm assuming/hoping you all do seeing as this is clearly a NaruSasu piece) feel free to check out my one shot "Friendly Dispute". You can find it on my profile! Anyway, without further ado...

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><p>Chapter Two: Beautiful Company<p>

Naruto ripped the blankets off of him and flopped back over in his bed, digging his face into his pillow. This was it - his final morning in peace. After this, he would have some creep watching his every move.

Naruto tried imaging what it would be like to have Yamato following him around everywhere like his dad did. His father never seemed to mind it, although he generally had his nose in some sort of official document that needed to be approved and signed, so he probably didn't notice him as much. But Yamato was always around - literally. He lived in with the Namikaze's. When they were eating dinner, Yamato was at the dinner table. When Minato went to work in the morning, Yamato was sitting beside him in the car. He walked three paces behind Minato at all times. If the rare occasion of a date night came up, Yamato was just booths away from him and Kushina. He was everywhere: always watching, always attentive. Naruto refused to picture this Sasuke fellow doing the same to him. He tried imagining where the man would stand to watch over him when he went out with his friends or played basketball with them or went to work. He refused to picture this bad blood of an Uchiha sitting next to him eating dinner with him like Minato allowed Yamato to do. It was odd behavior to have a bodyguard live in the house with their client, but that's just how Minato operated. He wanted everyone to be apart of his happy family - even paid workers.

Naruto wondered if his bodyguard would set up cameras in every room to keep an eye on him or just insist on being present at all times. He didn't know what to expect - yes, he could imagine Yamato following him around, but the truth of the matter is that Uchihas most likely operated differently than the ANBU agents did. Naruto pictured a pitiful guy sleeping on the floor beside his bed like a dog and he snickered to himself. As much as he was going to hate this experience, he wanted Sasuke Uchiha to hate it even more.

Naruto climbed out of bed and hopped into the shower, turning the faucet slowly to accommodate his body to the heat. He lathered a dollop of shampoo into his hand a sent the fistful rapidly across the crown of his head with an aggravated sigh. He wished today wouldn't happen.

-NSNSNSNS-

Naruto quickly rinsed off and left the shower to dry off in a fuzzy, warm towel. He passed through his home and down the stairs. It was too late in the morning for either of his parents to be around to bother him. His father was down at the office, probably in some sort of important meeting about the fate of the world. Kushina had most likely gathered with her friends to brunch and gossip to them about how her terrible son wound up in jail again this week.

Naruto laxly poured a cup of water into the teapot and set it on the warm stove. He watched diligently for the tea pot to begin squealing with boiling water.

This must have been was D-Day felt like. It seemed like a natural, typical day today - but it wasn't. Naruto bet if he went down to the main streets of Konoha, everyone would be going about their lives as if nothing was happening. But they were wrong - everything was happening. Everything terrible was happening. And nobody cared.

Naruto threw away the idea that this could be potentially beneficial. He refused to accept the fact that his parents were hiring a bodyguard - an Uchiha nonetheless - to "protect" him. Protect him from what? It wasn't as if people were after his life. It wasn't as if he got into fights everyday. So what if he scuffled every so often? He was a guy, that's what guys did. They brawled. They showed off their strength. What was really happening here was that his parents didn't trust him and thought he needed a babysitter. But not just any babysitter - no, a professional babysitter. A dangerous one. Some unmarried, unhappy bachelor in his early forties who was apparently second best to his older brother. So Naruto didn't even get a _good_ professional, dangerous babysitter. He got the leftovers.

The shrill whistle of the teapot sent Naruto's thoughts into disarray and he sluggishly lifted off the top of his ramen cup and slowly poured the steaming hot water in. He snatched a pair of chopsticks and lofted his way back upstairs to his bedroom where he would hide for the remainder of the day.

* * *

><p>Sasuke watched idly as the taxi driver popped open the trunk. He dragged his suitcase out of the car, slipped the man a twenty and watched the taxi driver flee the scene. Sasuke let out an exhale and rolled his suitcase over to the empty bench where he sat and waited.<p>

"Minato-sama will be sending a private car for you," his father had told him. "He said it'll be easy to spot." Sasuke had silently nodded, hugged his mother goodbye and got into the backseat of the taxi, which was to take him from the Uchiha territory to the outskirts of Konoha.

Sasuke leaned his head back onto the brick wall behind him. He restlessly looked at his watch: 3:47 pm. He was thirteen minutes early. He slid a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it.

In reality, Sasuke wasn't especially interested in being here. In fact, it was the last thing he wanted to do. He wasn't sure of all of the details, but as far as he knew he was just babysitting some brat while Minato-sama and his wife were off on a business trip. And while Sasuke didn't mind being used on a private mission - especially one he was getting paid for - he couldn't shake the feeling of being second best. He'd bet his life that if Itachi wasn't already busy on a mission that he'd be sitting on this bench waiting for an escort to the Namikaze Manor instead of him. Besides, these kind of assignments were never given to Sasuke - they weren't his forte. He preferred scouting and investiagtive missions, not bodyguarding. Truthfully, he had never guarded over anyone before.

Sasuke looked back at his watch. 4:00 pm. He stood up, used his heel to smash his cigarette into the pavement and strode to the corner of the side walk and looked around. There was no means of transportation coming from either direction. Sasuke impatiently rolled his eyes behind his dark sunglasses. He didn't like to wait.

At exactly 4:01 pm a black Rolls Royce made its way to the curb in front of Sasuke. Minato-sama was right: this private car was certainly easy to spot. A chauffeur hastily stepped out of the driver's passage and greeted the young Uchiha, bowing in respect.

"You must be Sasuke Uchiha," he said politely.

"You must be my ride," Sasuke grabbed his luggage accordingly, catching a perplexed look from the chauffeur, who's hand was at the ready near his luggage.

"Please, sir, allow me," he said abruptly, with a touch of anxiety hidden in his voice. He quickly scurried to the trunk and placed the luggage in. Sasuke scratched his head quizzically. He had never seen a man carry another man's luggage before. Throwing the matter aside Sasuke reached for the passenger door just as the chauffeur raced over and opened the backseat door for him.

"Are you going to be doing that every time I try and touch something?" Sasuke questioned curtly as he sat down in the backseat of the car. Without a response, the chauffeur shut the door and hurried back over to the driver's side and drove off. "So yes, then," he answered in a mumble.

-NSNSNSNS-

It was a surprisingly long journey to the Namikaze Manor, which Sasuke didn't expect. While he had heard that Konoha was fairly large in size, he didn't expect to still be driving through the city fifty minutes after getting picked up. He looked at his watch. It was close to five o'clock and there were little signs that this chauffeur was close to his destination.

Sasuke looked out the window at the setting sun. The city was beginning to come alive as street posts were lighting up the sidewalks and people were hurrying in and out of various shops and stores. Sasuke looked around in awe. He had never been to any place quite like this. He had heard rumors from various Uchihas who had visited Konoha before, but he never expected so many lights and noises. The trees were all wrapped up in tiny, blinking lights. Constant car horns were honking. He could hear jovial laughter and loud conversations on the sidewalks through his shut window. Young students were walking in groups with their backpacks in tow as they stopped to get free samples of dango and pocky from street vendors. Businessmen in suits were hustling towards car garages, each carrying a briefcase and talking on their cell phone. Sasuke watched in fear as numerous people disregarded oncoming traffic and "do not cross" signs as they entered the busy streets and jaywalked to the other side. What kind of place was this?

"It's like Christmastime, Sasuke," his brother had told him dreamily. "Christmastime all the time. There's lighting everywhere and there's so much to look at."

"It can't be better than Kumogakure," Sasuke protested, who had always loved the Lightening Country. Each year his family vacationed there since he could remember. It was his favorite place on earth. "Kumogakure is the best city in the world."

"No," Itachi said in a floating voice. "It was so much better than that. It was inexplicably the happiest and brightest place I've ever seen."

Sasuke understood what Itachi had meant now. Konoha was quickly becoming the antithesis of everything he had seen within the Uchiha clan. That isn't to say the clan wasn't happy - Sasuke had a very happy upbringing. But it was a far more calming environment than here. Within the territory there were stone walls with the clan's crest adorning each stone slab. There were paper lanterns on each home and everyone did their share to take care of the land. Everyone knew everyone and they were all friendly and welcoming to one another. There were few cars within the territory - people preferred to walk. The only ones who used vehicles as transportation were either coming or going. But here in Konoha, everything was fast-paced and bright-eyed. Everything was lit up like fireworks. He began to question why he was here.

How could anyone need protection in such a wonderful place?

And then suddenly, he saw it. He saw the famous Hokage Monument, a mountain with a carved face of each leader of Konoha represented on the mountainside. Below it was the Hokage Mansion, where the leader conducted business. Sasuke stared blankly. It was far grander than he expected it, and he had expected something very grandiose to begin with. Sasuke slowly reached to pull off his sunglasses to catch a better glance. Just as he did, the car turned swiftly. Sasuke, somewhat disappointed, shoved his glasses back onto his nose. He would have to sneak away and get a closer view of that monument. It was spectacular.

After another twenty minutes in the car, the driver made a turn into a very private-looking community. It was gated and the chauffeur had to punch in some sort of password into a box before the electronic gate opened and allowed the car to pass. Sasuke smartly watched everything he did. The password was 1304.

The car drove slowly down a long trail of gorgeous homes. Sasuke looked at each mansion the same way a groom looks at his bride when he sees her for the first time. The homes were huge. How many people lived in such a home? At least twenty, Sasuke suspected. He always thought his father's home was large, even for a family of four. But that home paled in comparison to these. They made his home look like a tool shed.

-NSNSNSNS-

The Rolls Royce stopped at another gated entrance. This gate was attached to a stone wall that jet off in each direction. The password to open this gate was 1010. The car slowly rolled onto the stony drive and the gate shut immediately after them. A massive home appeared before Sasuke and suddenly he felt as small as a grain of sand. Just how important was this leader of Konoha? Far more important than Itachi ever led him to believe.

The car stopped in front of an elegant stairway leading to the front door of the large home. It was show time. In that moment, Sasuke finally became nervous. This was his first mission that wasn't necessarily covert. He'd be out in the open. His occupation was public. That made him quiver.

Forgetting that the chauffeur had a heart attack each time he touched something, Sasuke helped himself to opening the door and getting out of the car, refusing to take his eyes off of the grand estate before him. He was going to be _living_ here? He almost couldn't believe it.

The chauffeur speedily popped the trunk and carefully dragged Sasuke's luggage from the car.

* * *

><p>"Oh, come on now!" Minato huffed, tossing the game controller from his hands and slumping back into the couch as Naruto leapt up into a victory dance. "You <em>must<em> be cheating," he accused. Naruto shook his head with a whacky grin, continuing his dance around the coffee table as the video game's loud, jolly music helped congratulate him on staying the undefeated champion against his father. Minato playfully pushed his son, demanding a rematch.

Yamato swung open the double doors leading to the living room. "Minato-sama," he interjected. "Sorry for interrupting, but Naruto's guest has arrived."

Naruto's victory dance ceased instantly. He had almost forgotten. Almost.

"Ah, yes," Minato stood up and brushed himself off. "Come, Naruto," he said over his shoulder, following Yamato out of the room.

"Dad," Naruto groaned, sluggishly following. "Dad, don't make me beg." Minato stopped following and turned to face his son.

"Stop the nonsense, Naruto," Minato said quietly. "He'll only be here while we're away on business."

"He shouldn't be here at all," Naruto put up a fight. "Come on. _Come on_. I'm twenty-two. I'll do better, I swear. I'll do better. I swear I won't get into any more trouble." Naruto knew there was no better time to sway his father's opinion than now, when Naruto was most desperate and while his demanding mother wasn't in earshot to shut down his plan. He cupped his hands together in plea.

Minato pursed his lips in thought. "How about this: if you can get through this entire month without any sort of trouble arising - even the slightest bit of trouble arising, Naruto - I'll convince your mother that it isn't necessary for you to have a bodyguard here." Naruto's face lit up and he stuck his hand out for a contractual handshake. Minato shook his hand before sliding his arm around his son's shoulder and leading him to greet his new protector.

* * *

><p>"How nice to meet you, Sasuke-kun!" Kushina welcomed cheerfully, greeting the young man with an inappropriate hug. Sasuke staggered backwards, not expecting the wife of a high-profile contributor to be so…so casual. He silently noted that she was certainly nothing as he expected. All of his previous clients were overtly proper and haughty but as far as he could tell, she was a down-to-earth, typical woman, aside from her unseeingly long red hair. Itachi had forewarned him that Minato and his wife were unusually grounded.<p>

"Thank you for having me here, Kushina-sama," he retorted politely, combing his fingers through his disobedient hair. The chauffer stumbled up the stone stairway towards the front door where Kushina and Sasuke were standing, dragging Sasuke's luggage behind him. Sasuke thanked him and tried to tip him, to which Kushina denied him that obligation before seeing the chauffeur off. Perhaps she wasn't as good natured as Sasuke first suspected.

Keeping true to form of her current "inappropriate streak" (as Sasuke was referring to it) Kushina linked arms with the young Uchiha and walked him inside. "He's paid by the hour," she whispered in Sasuke's ear. "He receives a modest amount." Sasuke swallowed and nodded in reply. He had never come across such a boorish woman. If he had ever heard his mother speak so openly to a stranger about money - why, she wouldn't. She would be dead if she did. Sasuke uncomfortably toyed with his black necktie.

"Naruto!" Kushina called up the rounded stairway. "Come down, please! There's someone you must meet!" Sasuke stared up at the staircase, awaiting some loud, precocious rug rat to come racing down the stairs. He braced himself with an inhale through the nose and held his breath. A few moments later he saw the familiar face of Minato Namikaze appear with a uniformed man behind him. From the looks of this man's black attire and gray chest and arm protectors, he was ANBU. Probably one of Minato's personal bodyguards. Sasuke soaked up everything about that man and watched carefully as the man did the same to him.

"Sasuke!" Minato greeted him with a wide smile and an equally inappropriate hug as his wife had done moments earlier. Sasuke couldn't remember the last time he was hugged this much in one day - or one month. "Good to see you! Your father has told me nothing but good things about you!" He kept his hands placed tightly on Sasuke's strong shoulders. "My, you're much taller than I expected," he said with a soft chuckle. Sasuke wasn't sure what he meant by that so he didn't reply.

"Naruto!" Kushina called impatiently.

"Yeah, yeah," there was a condescending voice from the hallway above. That was odd to Sasuke. This Naruto kid didn't sound as young as he was. Kushina apologetically smiled at Sasuke as her husband excused their "untimely son".

There was a loud huff at the top of the staircase and finally the young man crept down the long spiraling steps and reached his parents and new company.

-NSNSNSNS-

Naruto looked up reluctantly, but regret it instantly.

What was _he_?

_This_ was Sasuke Uchiha? This guy wasn't a guy in his early forties! He looked like he was close to Naruto's age! He certainly didn't look like some unmarried, bitterly forgotten second son that Naruto had suspected Sasuke Uchiha to be. He quietly eyed this new person.

He was the same height as Minato, two or three inches taller than Naruto. He had jet black, unkempt hair that framed his face in an effeminate manner. He was dressed well in a black suit and necktie with a starch white shirt underneath a sports coat and a pair of sunglasses hanging off of a belt loop. He had straight shoulders, maintained a poised posture and was judging Naruto just as intimately as Naruto was judging him. He had dark emotionless eyes, a pointed nose and soft pink lips. He was nothing like Naruto anticipated. In fact, he was sort of _beautiful_.

"H-Hey," Naruto muttered.

"Good evening, Naruto-san," his voice was like butter. It was smooth and fluid. It was polite and well-mannered. It held an underlying theme of coldness. He wasn't living up to Naruto's stereotyped idea of what an Uchiha was. He didn't come off as cruel or vapid or sadistic. He didn't look like he had ever killed a man before - then again, maybe that was part of the Uchiha's hidden talents: coming off as innocent and unexpected. Naruto tightened his watch. This guy _had_ to go - the sooner the better.

Kushina cupped her hands noisily, collecting her son's ungainly attention. Sasuke continued to stare at his new client, soaking up every detail about him. "Now, Naruto, you need to show your new friend around the house-"

"_Friend_?" he scoffed. Kushina smacked him with a mortified giggle. Sasuke watched carefully. The dichotomy between his client and his mother was interesting. He had never seen a mother hit their own child before. And while Naruto may not be the young brat he assumed that he was watching over, he was still a brat regardless. Although he did have a point: they were far from being "friends". It would be highly unprofessional for Sasuke to ever consider Naruto a friend, after all.

"Well regardless," Minato cut in with a nervous chuckle. "Go show your new guest around." Naruto up-and-downed Sasuke once more before silently motioning him to follow him upstairs. "And don't forget that Jiraiya is expecting you down at the gallery tomorrow morning," he reminded his answerless son. Sasuke grabbed his suitcase and followed the boy, always staying three paces behind, just as he was instructed.

Naruto wasn't sure why his parents were acting so nervous and twitchy. He couldn't imagine that they were _embarrassed_ in front of Sasuke - Naruto and his parents argued all the time in front of Yamato and Minato never cares then. If Sasuke was going to be his bodyguard he would have to get used to the fact that he and his parents rarely agreed or approved of one another's actions. He was right - Sasuke was not his friend, and it was weird of a bodyguard to stay at their clients home with them. He hoped his parents would soon realize that letting an Uchiha reside in their home wasn't the most thought-out plan in the world. Naruto shrugged the idea off - seeing as Minato has admitted to using Uchihas in the past, it wasn't likely that they would regret letting Sasuke in. Apparently he was the only Namikaze resident who actually took the infamous Uchiha name to heart.

Naruto led Sasuke down a maze of corridors that seemed to go on forever. He showed him the living room, each guest bedroom, each bathroom, (chose not to tell him where his parents bedroom was, just in case he were to try and assassinate the leader of Konoha while he slumbered) and various other rooms and spare bedrooms. In all honesty, the home was far too big for a family of three - or four, if you counted Yamato, who lived here - or even five, if you counted the newest resident of the property. But it was a simple home, not overly decorated with radiant furniture and expensive items that were common in such mansions. There were family pictures and vases of flowers everywhere, just like in Sasuke's home.

Naruto showed Sasuke up another set of stairs that led to a single door. Naruto opened the door, revealing the entire portion of the home to be his bedroom. Sasuke looked around in amazement. Naruto had an entry room leading to his bedroom, a personal bathroom, a walk-in closet (that was the size of Sasuke's whole bedroom in his father's house), a den and, off of the den, a guest bedroom, where Sasuke would be staying.

"I'll be playing video games if you need me," Naruto muttered reluctantly after lazily waving his arm towards the guest bedroom. He traipsed his way over to his couch to begin playing, when from the corner of his eye he spotted Sasuke watching him from the guest bedroom. Naruto swallowed uncomfortably. So this was what it was like having a bodyguard, huh? He decided quickly that his premonition was right: he did not like being watched over.

Naruto left the couch and moved his way back to Sasuke's new room. He leaned his body weight against the door frame and watched as Sasuke flung his suitcase onto the bed. Naruto eyed him suspiciously. "How old are you, anyway?"

Sasuke looked over at the blonde-haired boy. "Twenty-three, what of it?" Naruto shrugged. "Well how old are you?" Sasuke asked.

"Twenty-two since October," Naruto said. Sasuke took a mental note of that. "I honestly expected you to be older. By a lot."

"And I expected you to be younger by a lot," Sasuke retorted apathetically.

"You would think," Naruto rolled his eyes. "As if an adult needs to be watched over by another adult."

"Your father has a bodyguard, too," Sasuke implored.

In the back of his mind, Naruto admitted to himself that he enjoyed listening to Sasuke speak. There was a masculine, brassy chime to his voice that was reverent. His voice flowed nicely, but was noticeably sharp and borderline monotonous. Naruto sensed the feeling that perhaps Sasuke was just as unhappy to be here as Naruto was to have him here. Maybe he wasn't going to have to try to make the Uchiha as miserable as he was - maybe Sasuke was already there.

"Yeah," he replied after a long moment. "But I'm not my father."

"That's right," Sasuke cleared his throat. "I heard you're a lot more brash than him." Naruto snickered with a sense of pride. He couldn't disagree. His father was friendly and collected, whereas Naruto was a magnet for unlucky coincidences and harbored a short temper that was inherited from his mother.

"What else have you heard?" he asked, interested to know what other sort of information was disclosed to the Uchiha. Naruto suspected that such a cold, heavyweight clan didn't need much to go on in order to successfully - and anonymously - take out someone.

Sasuke looked up with a sigh, trying to decide where to begin. "Well, let's see. According to my father, who spoke with yours, you've been increasingly violent around Konoha, getting into various scraps here and there, leading to your arrestment three times since September of last year. According to police reports I've collected since hearing about you this past summer, the first time you were arrested was for fighting in the parking lot of a bar and failing to pass a breathalyzer test. You were highly intoxicated and also underage," Naruto swallowed. He knew a lot. Naruto also took a moment to quickly imagine what Sasuke would look like drunk. He hid an evil smile. "The second time was for starting a fight at Konoha's August Festival this past summer and, most recently, for fighting outside of a nightclub. I also know through other clansmen who have worked under your father that you're very forward and often are the one to pick fights. You rarely attend your father's appearances and when you do you come in late or you backtalk everyone who asks your father a question you deem rude," once again, Naruto couldn't disagree. That's why he stopped attending his father's appearances. "I know that you haven't been arrested nearly half as many times as you should've been. And, according to my own first impressions of you," Sasuke shot him a meaningless smile. "I know that you're a narcissistic, spoiled brat who is used to getting their way."

Naruto stared at the Uchiha for a long time. He imagined himself slamming that pretty face against the wall and telling him to get the fuck out of his house before he _really _got mad. But he also imagined his mother refusing to allow him to chose his own bodyguard - or better yet, not have one at all - if that's how the "Sasuke Phase" played out. Naruto glowered at his watchdog from across the room, weighing his options. Sasuke stared back, passively. Naruto cautiously walked towards the dark-haired boy and stood inches from his face.

"Let me make something clear to you," Naruto said lowly. "I'm bigger than you. You may have a few inches on me and maybe an extra year on me too but I've got more brawn and more drive in my damn pinky toe than you do in your entire body. Do you understand what I just said-" The next moment, Naruto was on the floor, writhing.

What just happened? Naruto looked around quickly. All he knew what that he was on the ground and he couldn't find any air to breathe. He looked up at Sasuke who stood over him, motionless.

"You don't even know what just happened, do you?" Sasuke asked calmly. Naruto wheezed and clutched his stomach, trying to find his leg muscles. He managed to get one foot under him, the rest of his weight still on one knee. Sasuke pushed him over with two fingers to the forehead. "Exactly," he said. Naruto saw the quick glint of a passing smile.

It wasn't until moments ticked by that Naruto realized that not only had he been gut-punched, but that it all happened so swiftly that he didn't even see Sasuke flinch. He looked up at Sasuke with a newfound hate.

"Now," Sasuke cracked his neck before flopping onto his bed. He crossed his legs. "Let _me_ make something clear: I am not to be toyed with. I am here to do a job, which will be done diligently. I won't let anyone - even my own foul-mouthed, pretentious client - get in my way." Naruto was leaning against a wall, forcing his weight onto it in order to lift himself up. He finally caught some oxygen for his lungs and he never looked away from Sasuke. So this was the power of an Uchiha? Such fast, unseen movements? The ability to maintain a cool, level-headed expression and tone of voice after just hurting someone so abrasively? Naruto stepped out of the guest bedroom and hurried back into his own, snatching the stagnant glass of water from his bedside table from last night and guzzling it down in one fell swoop. When he looked up, Sasuke was standing in the doorway.

"What the hell do you want from me?!" he exclaimed.

"Well I have to watch over you," Sasuke said, almost unsure as to what exactly Naruto thought he was doing there. Obviously he was doing his job.

"Watch over me? You're the only one threatening me!"

"Threatening you?" Sasuke laughed. He had a gorgeous laugh. "No. See, if you could dominate me, I wouldn't be a very good body guard, now would I?" He had a point. Generally a body guard should be tougher than the body they were protecting. But still. He came at Naruto guns-hot, which, to Naruto, was foul play, despite the actual punch delivered was respectable in Naruto's book. Few people were able to catch him so off guard.

Naruto breathed deeply, finally finding a rhythmic breathing pattern. "You know something, Uchiha-"

"My name is Sasuke."

"You know something Uchiha," Naruto looked him in the eye. "I really don't like you."

Sasuke smiled attractively. "You don't have to like me. I'm here to protect you, not hold your hand and be your friend forever," he reminded the young blonde. It didn't matter to Naruto. He didn't want him here in any shape or form.

Naruto looked around quietly. "I have to pee. Would you like to come with me or do you think I can handle this one on my own?" Sasuke didn't reply, he simply turned his back and walked away. The moment he turned his back, Naruto raced towards him.

Naruto grabbed Sasuke by the neck and dragged him to the floor with his body weight. Naruto was shorter and denser, where Sasuke was far more light and flighty. He kept his knee on Sasuke's spine, pinning him to the floor. Sasuke took his free fist and wailed into Naruto's inner thigh causing him to retract. Sasuke instinctively flew off of the floor and into attack position. He wasn't able to go on the offensive - he was trying to protect this person, after all - but he was allowed to defend himself.

Naruto furiously raced towards him with his fist ready to uppercut. He didn't like being the weaker one in the fight and, the weaker he felt, the more forceful and messy his strikes became. Sasuke easily maneuvered himself away from Naruto's attack and elbowed the pressure point on his shoulder, causing his arm to be ineffective. Naruto sent his fist flailing towards Sasuke's head, which he grasped in mid-swing and held onto tightly.

"You have a lot of power, you know," Sasuke said tranquilly. "You just don't know what to do with it." Naruto stopped what he was doing. Sasuke's grip was firm and unwavering and his hand was soft and warm over Naruto's brusque features. Naruto looked down at his tangled fist, easily defeated by such a whimsical fighter like the Uchiha. Naruto snatched his arm back and walked into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. He had barely made it to his bed to sit down before the door swung open once more to reveal Sasuke's watchful eye.

"Well I have to watch over you, you know," he repeated.

* * *

><p>I tried not to make it terribly lengthy, although I'm pretty sure it's just as long as my first chapter, if not a teensy bit longer (sorry!) Anyway, I hope you're still enjoying it!<p>

Please review and give me something nice to see for when I log in next! (:


	3. Getting to Know Sasuke

EDIT: Hi everyone! Sorry to anyone who got a story alert message yesterday about this third chapter. I had posted it and after about an hour I realized I hadn't proofread it (i like to proofread through three times...I had only done it twice) so I took it down. I didn't have time to finish proofreading before I had to work so I didn't re-post it yesterday. Sorry for any inconvenience!

Yay! Once again, thank you to all who reviewed or added the story to their alerts! I'm glad I'm getting such kind feedback and I love hearing all of your theories/hopes for the story in upcoming chapters(:

Anyway, let's get back to Naruto and Sasuke…

* * *

><p>Chapter Three: Getting to Know Sasuke<p>

"I heard your old man royally screwed you over with this whole bodyguard situation - then again, you sort of deserve it after getting arrested for the third time."

"Yeah," Naruto whispered. "He did." Naruto tip-toed his way down the stairs, ignoring the sassy comment. He crept lightly, trying not to wake up his parents. Or worse - Sasuke.

"Ah, well, he's just trying to protect you," Jiraiya defended light-heartedly. "He's sometimes over-bearing, but you're his one and only child. He just wants to make sure you're taken care of."

"Yeah, well, his child can take care of himself," Naruto retorted in a hushed tone. He quietly made his way down the staircase, constantly checking over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't being followed. 2 a.m wasn't exactly the most appropriate time to be on the phone with one's godfather, but Naruto's godfather was atypical - he preferred spending the better part of his evenings people-watching at restaurants while sucking down a bottle of sake and working on his dirty romance novels. Any time after midnight was the best time to reach him. After all, Jiraiya was the one who taught Naruto everything he knew about life. He was his best friend. He was also his bar buddy until he settled down with a doctor named Tsunade. Now he didn't go out as much and Naruto was left to bar hop alone on Saturday nights, unless there was the rare occasion that Shikamaru would tag along. Naruto suspected that since the nightclub debacle nearly a week ago now, Shikamaru wouldn't be tagging along with him too often anymore.

Naruto successfully made his way across the home without any detection, purposely leaving all of the lights off so he wouldn't tip-off anyone else. After the evening he had had, he wasn't in much of a mood to be bothered any further. His night had consisted of lots of meaningless prattle at dinner between his parents and Sasuke - who seemed to charm them around his finger faster than Naruto could say "Uchiha's are evil" - and four long, uncomfortable hours playing video games with a watchful eye always near him. Naruto slipped outside onto the back porch, where he was far enough from everyone so that he and Jiraiya could speak in peace without having to worry about anyone hearing them. He plopped down on a lawn chair.

"So," Jiraiya said with a touch of excitement. "What's he like?"

"Who? The Uchiha?" Naruto asked. In paranoia, Naruto obsessively checked all directions before sliding a cigarette out of his pocket and lighting it. His mother wasn't particularly fond of him having the occasional smoke, not that that ever stopped him from doing so every chance he got.

"Well duh," Jiraiya snorted. "I've never met one personally, but I've seen a few. Your father uses their services frequently, you know," he said. Naruto rolled his eyes. He was fully aware.

"I don't know," Naruto replied. "He's…he's not what I expected him to be like." Naruto inhaled tobacco and flashbacked to him retracing his steps down to meet his new protector. It was only hours back, but it felt as if it had happened years ago. His straight, sleek black hair. His eyes even darker than his hair. His glossy, melancholy voice and attractive features. He was cordial and kept his hands in his pockets. His mother and father loved him. He never took off his shoes. "He's okay, I guess - I don't want him here, but he's okay."

Jiraiya made an audible grunt and paused for a long moment. "Don't trust him too easily," he warned. "You know better."

"Oh, I know," Naruto scoffed. It drove him crazy how easily his parents opened up their home to this stranger. So he came off as nice - so what? A dazzling personality and captivating smile was enough to twist Naruto's stomach into knots, but he definitely wasn't going to trust him.

"The Uchiha's have come a far way from where their ancestor Madara had them," Jiraiya said. "But that doesn't mean much. I think maybe they've just gotten better at hiding their ways."

"I know," Naruto repeated.

"You remember what happened to Kakashi, right?" he said solemnly. It was supposed to be a question, but it was a question he didn't need to ask. They were both aware that Naruto knew. He bit down on the mouthpiece of his cigarette, nearly crushing pieces of tobacco into his teeth. Of course he remembered what happened to Kakashi - well, he remembered the story of what happened.

Kakashi made the mistake of trusting an Uchiha who seemed nice and polite. He befriended one named Obito Uchiha, who betrayed Kakashi while he was working on an ANBU assignment. The two fought and Obito ended up blinding Kakashi in one eye. Obito was caught and executed. The public never heard about the situation, but in the ANBU ranks the story spread like wildfire. Kakashi has never mentioned it to anyone - not even to Minato, his greatest confidant. He's never mentioned it to anyone, in fact. But Kakashi was an honorary member of the Namikaze family, and it mystified Naruto that his father so willingly went back to the Uchihas and continued to use their help even after what they did to someone so close to his heart. Naruto licked his lips. He wondered how Yamato, an ANBU agent and one of Kakashi's close friends, felt about residing in the same house as an Uchiha. He couldn't imagine it brought him much joy. Naruto wondered if Sasuke knew who Obito was. He bet he did.

"Bring him when you come into work tomorrow," Jiraiya said, bursting Naruto out of his own thought process. "I want to meet this guy."

"I have no choice," Naruto frowned. "He follows me everywhere like some sort of freak."

"He's your bodyguard."

"My body doesn't need guarding." Naruto tossed the cigarette butt on the stone flooring and used the heel of his foot to put it out. "I'll see you tomorrow." Jiraiya said goodbye and Naruto hung up the phone with a breath. He shoved the kicked cigarette into a crevice of the stone patio to hide it and sleepily walked inside towards the kitchen. He rubbed his eyes with a yawn.

"You're up early," Naruto jumped in surprise and whipped around. Sasuke was standing beside the porch door.

"Were you eavesdropping?" he asked suspiciously. He narrowed his eyes at the Uchiha.

"No," Sasuke said shortly. "I had come downstairs for a glass of water, truthfully. It just so happens that you were outside." He paused, eyeing the blonde haired boy for a moment. "You smoke?"

"_Shhh_," Naruto put his index finger to his lips. The likelihood of his mother hearing that were slim to none, but Naruto had enough fear of his mother to not want to take that chance. "Recreationally, yes," he answered. "Why?"

Sasuke shrugged and took a sip of his water. "Nothing," he said simply. Naruto frowned. He couldn't sense any of the judgment that he almost expected the Uchiha to have, and walked away.

"Goodnight," he mumbled, heading back upstairs.

"Have a nice rest. See you tomorrow," Naruto wanted to vomit upon such chivalrous words.

* * *

><p>The chauffeur opened the car door and Sasuke slid out with a kind "thank you" towards the driver. Naruto left the car after him, not even bothering to make eye contact with the man, let alone thank him for carting him thirty minutes into Konoha.<p>

Sasuke eyed the Namikaze with a hidden amount of disgust. He had never seen anyone show up to work in shorts and a gray sweatshirt and the sight was nearly appalling to him. He pulled his black sports coat closer to his body and followed the blonde towards the shop. Naruto walked to the art gallery's door and pulled out a key and unlocked it. Sasuke wasn't sure why anyone would trust him with a key to their business. Actually, he wasn't sure why anyone would hire him in the first place - especially if this is what he was wearing to work.

"It shouldn't take me too long," Naruto murmured. He locked the door behind them. "Hopefully I'm through before the gallery even opens."

Sasuke leisurely walked around the gallery, taking a moment to appreciate all of the different paintings. He always loved going to galleries. He had been to one on his vacation time in Kumogakure before. It was one of his favorite parts of his traveling - seeing different culture's way of expressing themselves. There were no art galleries within the walls of the Uchiha clan and even then all of the art consisted of war scenes, the clan symbol or some sort of portrait of his infamous ancestor, Madara Uchiha. There were never any colors used except for muted neutrals and the highlight of red. For Uchiha's, there wasn't a market for beautiful landscape sceneries or abstract paintings like the ones in this gallery. Sasuke sifted through a number of portraits leaning up against a table. "So what exactly do you do here?" he asked Naruto.

"I water the plants and dust off the paintings," he replied. He jumped over the back counter behind the cash register and turned the lights on. Row by row ceiling lights flickered on, illuminating the paintings. Sasuke looked around at all of the brightened canvases, his eyes full of fascination. "Sometimes I'll do the finish on the picture frames, but I messed up real bad one time and Granny Tsunade told me not to touch the frames anymore," he added.

'Granny' Tsunade. Sasuke understood now. This was less of a job and more of a way to get Naruto out of the house and experience the real world. From what he had observed so far, he assumed it was Kushina's strong-willed suggestion. It made sense; he couldn't picture any upright and unrelated business owner actually _wanting_ to hire Naruto. He was unprofessional and snotty - not exactly the picture of a good employee.

Naruto disappeared into the backroom and Sasuke was left to admire the artwork.

-NSNSNSN-

The front door of the gallery swung open and was close to catching Sasuke off guard. It was a large, older man with big, long white hair. He was wearing clothes just as casual as Naruto's were but with more paint splotches covering him haphazardly.

"Since when do you beat me to work kid-" the man looked up in surprise, expecting to see Naruto, and not an unfamiliar, well-dressed man looking at his paintings. "I'm sorry," he said with an embarrassed chuckle. "Didn't realize we had company."

"He's not company," Naruto called from the backroom, reappearing with a watering pot in tow. He had also tied a dirty apron around his waist and put a sweatband on his forehead. "He's my bodyguard." He exchanged silent words through eye contact with his godfather, who seemed to understand clearly. "Jiraiya, this is Sasuke. Sasuke, this is Jiraiya."

"Nice to meet you," Sasuke extended his hand and a warm smile and Jiraiya warily accepted his handshake.

"You as well," he said, judging every part of Sasuke. Sasuke noticed, but didn't care too much. He instantaneously made a judgment call and pegged Jiraiya as the older, unspoiled version of his client, which was both amusing and unsettling. Jiraiya shot Naruto more silent words through a look in his eye and Naruto grinned devilishly. Jiraiya slid over towards Naruto.

"He's definitely weird," Jiraiya whispered in his ear.

"I told you," Naruto whispered back with a crooked smile.

"Jiraiya," Sasuke broke in, holding up a long canvas with an ocean view painted on to it. "Did you make these yourself or do you simply distribute them?" Naruto looked at him strangely.

"The gallery has my original works in it, although some I've purchased from other local artists," he said sternly. "The one you're holding was painted by me, though." Naruto could tell his godfather was completely untrusting of his bodyguard. He found it humorous and was grateful that finally someone was just as aware of the negativity surrounding the Uchiha clan as he was. It was refreshing.

"It's - it's gorgeous," Sasuke said softly. Jiraiya perked up. Naruto looked at his godfather nervously.

"You think so?"

"Yes," Sasuke responded wistfully. He took the canvas, placed it on the floor and took a step back to reflect on it further. "You've captured the relaxing environment of the beach, but the deep colors you painted the waves with is realistic to the idea that the ocean can be a violent body, as well." Naruto's jaw dropped. Did his soulless bodyguard just _appreciate art_? Jiraiya traipsed over to the Uchiha.

"That's exactly what I was going for!" he exclaimed proudly, rapidly shaking the Uchiha's arm. "It's called 'Eye of the Storm'!"

"I see it," Sasuke said nonchalantly. "I think my mother would love this. There's such perspective in it."

"Yes! Thank you!" It was rare of the starving artist to hear such praise. He laughed jovially and slung his arm around Sasuke's shoulder. "Finally someone who understands!" he laughed some more. "You know kid, I like you."

"_What?" _

Jiraiya ignored Naruto's baffled statement. "How long are you in town for?"

"That's to be determined," Naruto answered for the Uchiha.

"Would you like to come to my gallery opening? I have another store opening on 2nd Street in a few weeks, I'd love for you to be there," he told Sasuke. Sasuke smiled gratefully.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he responded, still gazing at the painting.

Naruto watched from across the gallery. What was happening? A split moment ago Jiraiya was glaring at Sasuke reminding Naruto not to trust him, and now he's practically worshipping the guy. This is exactly what his parents had done last night, except they weren't nearly as keen as Jiraiya had been five seconds ago. Naruto rolled his eyes. He should have known. Jiraiya was a sucker for a nice compliment, and apparently Sasuke was in the mood to give them, which was just as perplexing to Naruto as seeing his godfather have such a quick change of heart. Was Naruto the last person to still have a brain? This was an _Uchiha_! A dangerous, bred hit man - not to be toyed with, and certainly not to be happily waltzing around an art gallery with.

"Naruto, you'll be coming to the gallery opening, too, right?" Jiraiya asked him.

Naruto's brow furrowed. He wasn't especially interested in spending a night in an art gallery with a bunch of stuffy people - but for Jiraiya, he would. "I suppose so. If I don't have other plans, I mean."

"Oh! That reminds me!" He smiled charmingly at his godson. "Tsunade said she's found you a woman."

"A woman?" Naruto repeated. Sasuke looked over, attentive. He pulled a piece of his long bangs behind his ear, showing off more of his soft, chiseled jaw line. Naruto quickly shot him a double-take, before subconsciously deciding it was best not to linger on such an image. The Uchiha was built like a god.

"Yep. She's got some new apprentice over at the hospital. I forget the girls name but Tsunade said she'd love it if you would try to take her out and get to know her," he told him. Naruto bit down on his jaw. He hated being set up, which was evidently his new godmother's favorite hobby. Last month it was the cashier over at the flower shop down the street. Now it's some nurse? There was a reason he was single: he wasn't interested. It's not that he didn't picture himself getting married and settling down someday, it's that he hasn't found a girl that's ever made him actually want that to be a reality.

"I already told Tsunade you would take her out," Jiraiya added. Naruto shot him a cold look. "So you're going out with her on Friday."

"Sounds fun," Sasuke joked laconically. It in fact sounded like a horrible way to waste his time, but he wasn't going to say that aloud. Truthfully, accompanying Naruto on a blind date sounded like it was going to be the worst experience of his life.

"Well good, then you can take her out," Naruto told him.

"C'mon!" Jiraiya exclaimed. "I already said you would do it. Tsunade said she's cute."

"I don't care if she's cute," Naruto said mutely. "I didn't agree to this and I don't feel like it. I already have plans Friday night, anyway."

"Like what? Planning on getting arrested again?" Jiraiya asked sarcastically.

Naruto laughed shortly. "Ha. Funny."

"Look, I know you don't necessarily want to do this, but she's a nice girl, she's your age, and your criminal record hasn't scared her off yet. She could possibly be the only girl left in the world who would entertain the idea of going out with you, so just do it and get it over with," he preached. Naruto stopped listening and began trailing around the store, watering the rest of the ferns in the windowsills. Sasuke watched him as he globed around the gallery and muttered profanities under his breath.

"I'm taking your silence as consent," Jiraiya commented.

More silence.

"Excellent, so you'll meet her at that cafe on Center Street at six on Friday."

Still silent.

"You never know - she could be your soul mate."

Naruto laughed heartlessly. "Maybe I don't have a soul mate."

"Everyone has a soul mate," Sasuke interrupted.

"Happily ever after is only in fairytales," Naruto countered, glaring at his bodyguard from the corner of his eye. "I thought part of your job was being seen and not heard."

"Hey," Jiraiya said abruptly, throwing his arm out in front of the Uchiha in defense. "Don't be rude to Sasuke-kun, I like him."

"Sasuke-_kun_?" Naruto repeated with a snort. "I think you're falling in love, Jiraiya."

* * *

><p>Work didn't end quickly enough for Naruto. After watering the plants and dusting off all of the paintings as Jiraiya and his new boyfriend Sasuke-kun sat and discussed fine art, he was sent on a various assortment of errands all across Konoha. Getting flower arrangements sent to Tsunade while she was at work, picking up Jiraiya's lunch, cleaning off the front windows, sweeping the back room - all of which included an Uchiha hovering about, dismissively not helping him. Six long hours later and he was back in the comfort of his personal limousine being driven home just in time to be yelled at for being late to dinner.<p>

Naruto glanced over at Sasuke, who was surveying the surroundings out the window with a level of considerate wonderment that he had never seen before.

"What are you looking at?" he asked blankly, trying to spot whatever it was Sasuke was so happily staring at. Sasuke looked over at him.

"Everything," he retorted. He reverted back to dreamily gazing out the car window. "Everything here is worth looking at. It's very different from my own home."

Naruto slumped down into his seat, giving up on finding whatever glory Sasuke saw. "What's the Uchiha territory like?" he asked softly, sleepily blinking down at his feet.

Sasuke looked over at him, almost startled. He had never been asked such an improper question before. Clients and contributors were _not_ to share personal information with one another, especially while on duty. He thought long and hard before responding. "Unlike Konoha," he said diplomatically. After Naruto gave no cue of response, Sasuke continued to fancifully gaze out the window.

Naruto, sensing the opportunity to stare at Sasuke without being caught, did so. He wasn't sure why, but ever since that morning when Sasuke had pushed pieces of his hair behind his ear, he was tempted to look at him all day. There was such enchantment in his eyes as the car passed by various main streets and brightly lit up shops and restaurants. Naruto imagined the Uchiha territory to be quiet and dark at all times, even during the day. He imagined rain clouds following each clansmen everywhere they went. That's how he had always imagined Uchiha's, after all: brooding and mysterious and unemotional. And yet, there was Sasuke, captivated by something as simple as a few strokes of a watercolor brush on a 6x8 canvas in Jiraiya's art gallery. He was certainly an enigma to Naruto. He went against everything Naruto expected - and almost hoped - an Uchiha would be. He was charming and delicate. He looked as if Naruto could easily dominate him, and yet he was so tenacious when dueling. He came off so sweet, and yet his eyes read a certain level of despair that Naruto couldn't grasp onto. He wondered if he was wrong about all Uchihas in general, or if for some rare reason Sasuke was the only one with a heart.

Naruto felt his stomach and groin knot up and he swallowed the dry lump looming in his throat. At that moment, Sasuke looked back over at him. Naruto stiffened up immediately, his cheeks flushing.

"I've been meaning to ask you," he said pointedly. Naruto furrowed his brow and threw the hood of his sweatshirt over his head, nuzzling into it. "Why are you so reluctant to meet this girl?"

Naruto blinked quickly. "I'm not reluctant, I just don't want to."

Sasuke chuckled. "That's what it means to be reluctant, Naruto-san."

"No, there's a difference," he corrected sharply. "And quit calling me Naruto-san. That's not my name."

"Duly noted, Naruto-kun," he appeased with a teasing grin. Naruto elbowed him roughly in the arm.

"Look, I'm just not interested in getting into a relationship, that's all. Relationships eat up all of your time and energy and you don't have any free space to hang out with your friends and do what you want. And plus all of the girls around here are just so…" he paused, trying to find an appropriate word. "Overbearing."

Sasuke studied Naruto's profile for a few moments, sponging every detail out of him from his square, masculine jaw to his pouting mouth to his tired, hooded blue eyes.

"Oh," he said finally. "I hadn't realized."

"Realized what?" Naruto questioned.

"No, no," Sasuke stumbled. "I just didn't realize that you were struggling with your sexuality, that's all." He muttered something to himself about him usually being better at catching that on people, but that Naruto must hide it quite well.

Naruto nearly jumped out of his skin. "_What_?!" he declared. "That's what you got out of what I said?!" Sasuke innocently nodded in reply. "I'm not gay, you freak." He folded his arms violently and slumped back down into his seat.

Sasuke scoffed. "It's alright to be interested in the same sex, you know," he told him. "I am."

Naruto slowly rolled his head over towards Sasuke, his face expressionless. "Come again?"

Sasuke shrugged. "What of it?" he asked properly.

Naruto winced. "Liar," he smiled uncomfortably.

Sasuke scowled. "I'm sorry," he said with a puzzled tone. "I didn't realize it was such a big deal, otherwise I wouldn't have shared - not that it's appropriate for me to tell you anything about myself, actually. Actually - forget I said anything-"

"You're not denying it," Naruto interrupted, deadpanning, his eyes curiously questioning. "Why aren't you denying it?"

Sasuke looked around anxiously. "Pardon me, I'm just a little confused as to what's going on here." He chuckled nervously.

"You aren't denying that you're gay," he repeated in response. "So you're not lying?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Why would I lie about that when I was just clarifying to you that it's okay if you are as well."

Naruto guffawed. "I'm not gay, I promise you. I just haven't found a girl I liked." Sasuke's face still read perplexed. He wasn't sure why it was such a huge deal - either you like boys, or you like girls. Who cares about the nuances? Was it different in Konoha? No where else Sasuke has ever been has had a problem with it - well, his father wasn't especially fond of the idea and didn't like when Sasuke brought guys home, but that was a personal matter. It was different there.

"So then you never know," Sasuke said. Naruto pursed his lips. Just another reason the Uchiha continued to stun him - he always had something new up his sleeve. Granted it was only their first full day as client and bodyguard, but still. He somehow felt he already knew Sasuke, so learning anything else seemed somewhat like mutiny to him - as if Sasuke was keeping secrets from him.

"Prove it," Naruto commented, after a few minutes of silence.

"Prove it?" Sasuke stared at him quizzically. "How can you prove which way you swing?" Naruto chuckled and shrugged in reply.

"I don't know, go pick up a guy or something," he laughed. Sasuke rolled his eyes, not bothering to entertain the idea.

Naruto paused in thought. "Are you dating anyone right now?" he grinned playfully.

"That's none of your business!"

"Oh come on, you're gunna be spending every waking moment with me for the next month, you should at least get used to talking to me," distinctly remembered his client telling him to be 'seen and not heard' only a few hours ago. Funny how that rule wasn't applied when Naruto felt like talking to him.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "No, I'm not seeing anyone. But that doesn't mean I feel like going out and trying to pick up some random man in Konoha," he defended.

"Okay, okay," Naruto sat up in his seat. "Then try to pick me up," Sasuke looked over at him, bewildered. "Say something to me that you would say to a guy you liked."

"Tch," Sasuke cocked his neck. "I'm your bodyguard, I'm not trying to date you, I'm trying to defend you."

"So what, just pretend."

"I can't," Sasuke retorted. "Really, I can't. I'm a horrible excuse for an actor and I'm not attracted to you in any way. You're not my type-"

"What!" Naruto scowled at him, insulted. "I'm not _attractive_?" He slammed his back against the seat of the car. Serves him right for trying to make friends with an Uchiha. He should've known they were all assholes.

"What? Why does it matter, you don't even like guys," Sasuke defended lightheartedly with a slight chuckle.

"So what! No one likes hearing that they're unattractive! How would you like it if I told you that you were ugly? I bet you'd go home and cry all night over a tub of ice cream," he sputtered, pouting his lip and turning to face out the window.

"You're such a child," Sasuke shook him off with a pathetic smile. He sat back in his chair and continued to look out the window at the views of Konoha. A few moments passed and he looked over at the client, slouched over in his seat. Sasuke hid a tiny smile; he knew Naruto would get upset if he thought he wasn't attractive. He's the stereotypical brat with a wealthy inheritance: spoiled rotten and narcissistic as all hell. Still, it was amusingly cute to Sasuke that for someone who hated him so much, Naruto surely became offended when he thought that the feeling was mutual.

"Hey, Naruto-san," Naruto turned to face him. Just as the two had made eye contact, Sasuke was leaned over in his seat, smashing his lips onto Naruto's. He had the clients's strong chin cupped in his hand and his tongue was restlessly unraveling Naruto's unsteady lips. Naruto got his palms onto Sasuke's shoulders and pushed him away, backing as far into the car door as he possibly could.

"What- what are you doing?!" He barked, dragging his hands in his hair, blushing fiercely.

"You didn't believe me," he cleared his throat and straightened the white collar of his shirt. "You told me to prove it."

"Yeah and you told me that I'm not attractive."

"Well, yes, because I don't find you attractive," Sasuke reiterated. "But all the same I proved it."

"I didn't mean prove it like that!" Naruto hugged his legs, looming as far out the car as he could get while it was still in transit. If he didn't like Sasuke following him around and sleeping in his house before, he certainly didn't want him there now. He didn't dare look over at the bodyguard for the rest of the duration of the car ride home. He looked out the window; they weren't more than five minutes from his neighborhood, luckily.

Naruto let a cyclone of a storm unleash within his mind. He felt his heart pounding against his knees and he knew his lips were drying out quickly as he continued to slide his tongue over them, trying to erase the taste of Sasuke's mouth on his. Yes, he had dared the Uchiha to prove it, but he didn't actually think he would. He didn't want that much proof! And the nerve of him to say he didn't find Naruto attractive? Naruto was as overwhelmed by the kiss as he was angered by that statement. Why wasn't he attractive to Sasuke? What didn't he like about him? Naruto thought he was pretty good looking for his age. He was bright and naturally tan and blonde - what wasn't to like about him? His teeth were white and he rarely ever wore the same t-shirt twice. He didn't think he smelled bad. Did he? Was Sasuke disgusted by his scent? He had showered that morning.

-NSNSNSNS-

Naruto's car slowly pulled into the stony driveway. Just as they were pulling up, Minato's personal chauffeur and Yamato were stuffing a few final suitcases into the trunk of his father's limousine. Naruto's chauffeur let him out of the car and he dodged over to his parents as they walked down the front stairs to their car.

"What's going on?" he asked. He wasn't sure why he was out of breath. He felt his face heat up and he slid a sweaty palm over his mouth, in dramatic fear that his parents would be able to tell that he was just kissed. "I thought you two weren't leaving for another few days?" he asked nervously. Of all the times to leave, he couldn't bear to see his parents leave after his bodyguard had just jumped him…romantically - the last possible way he thought the Uchiha would jump him. Nevertheless, in the past Naruto had _always_ wanted his parents to go. Naturally the first time he needed them there as a distraction, they were booking it, leaving Naruto in the dust.

"Sorry kiddo," Minato patted his twitchy son's head. "The Kazekage just made an emergency call for our first meeting to be bumped up to the morning after tomorrow. If we don't head out now, we'll be too late." He smiled apologetically. "You understand, right?"

Naruto stared sullenly at his father. As if he hasn't grown up hearing that line. "Sure," he said. As if he had a choice. He walked past his father and mother, purposely not hugging either of them goodbye. Why do they have to leave now? He doesn't want to be stuck in his house with his gay, not-attracted-to-Naruto bodyguard for a whole damn month!

Naruto strode into the house. He slammed the door behind him like he did when he was a teenager trying to get his father's attention while he was busy rushing out the door for an "emergency meeting". From the two long windows flanking each side of the front door, he saw his parents happily exchange goodbyes to Sasuke. They treated him like a son. They didn't even know him. Naruto suddenly became sickened by the three of them. They all deserved each other. He raced upstairs to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. He flopped down onto his bed, shoving his face into his pillow. His face was hot and his mind was scrambling around for reasons or explanations or...or something.

It wasn't until that moment did he remember just how tired he was. After exercising that morning and then working nearly seven hours with no food or breaks, Naruto was worn out. It didn't help that he was emotionally and physically harassed in the back seat of his own car or that his father basically just replaced him with said harasser.

He let out a long, sleepy sigh, allowing his consciousness to wander, and then drifted away quickly.

* * *

><p>Please remember to review!<p> 


	4. Stranded

Hello hello hello again everyone! Thank you so much to everyone who's contributing to this story by reviewing, I really do appreciate all of the love! (:

This chapter was really difficult for me to write, for some reason. I've gone through countless versions of this chapter before settling on one I really approve of, so hopefully you all approve of it as well!

* * *

><p>Chapter Four: Stranded<p>

Naruto was laying face-up, staring blankly at the dark ceiling above him. He turned to face the clock beside his bed: 3:47 a.m. Little sleep was to be had tonight.

Naruto had half a mind to get up and start his day early, but that would leave the possibility of Sasuke waking up, which he was strictly opposed to doing. He did _not_ want to wake up Sasuke.

Days had passed since their interaction in the car and Naruto was no more comfortable around the bodyguard than he was when it happened. The night it occurred, he was lucky to be exhausted from work and was able to sleep right after coming home. By the time he had woken up it was close to midnight and Sasuke had already retired to his room for the evening. Since then, Naruto found himself unable to sleep, spending countless hours tossing and turning until the sun rose and he was forced to see the magnificently discordant face of the Uchiha.

He hadn't even asked permission. He just went in for it, disregarding any type of personal boundaries. Growing up as the son of the Hokage, Naruto was handled with white gloves and by people waiting on him hand and foot to impress his father. But Sasuke… Sasuke grabbed him and made him his own without even worrying about it. Naruto had always wanted someone to treat him as 'Naruto Namikaze' rather than 'Minato Namikaze's son', but now that he had experienced it, he didn't like it. He respected such courage, but disliked being handled like he was…ordinary. Especially when the person handling him was a paid employee.

Since their interaction in car, Naruto couldn't bear seeing him again. Sasuke had _kissed_ him. Truthfully, it was Naruto's first kiss in years - and it was possibly the best kiss he's ever had, not that he would ever admit that. But Sasuke seemed to know what he was doing. Naruto bet he had had hundreds of kisses. He bet that Sasuke could get anyone he wanted, guy or girl. He was suave and attractive and his kiss left Naruto, although thoroughly peeved and upset, with stardust dancing around in his head. His hand gently holding Naruto steady, his tongue crawling towards Naruto's teeth, his soft hair gleaning Naruto's cheek, his scent filling up all of Naruto's senses…

Naruto swallowed loudly. He flipped onto his side, glaring hatefully at the clock. Only four minutes had passed. He had been trying to fall asleep for almost five hours now and he wasn't any more tired or clear-minded than he was when he got in bed.

To Naruto, the past few days were gloomy and drawn-out. Now that his parents were gone the house was empty and quiet, and it felt like an even bigger home now that it was vacant. Normally when his parents were away on business, Naruto would either couch surf at his friends homes, or all of his pals would stay with him. It would be a long, continuous party full of shenanigans and bad choices. But now he was being watched like a hawk. Now it was just him and Sasuke and the silence resonating between them was even greater, although Sasuke didn't notice it.

In the mornings, he would politely greet Naruto when he awoke, and would make the two of them tea while making small talk, all through which Naruto stayed silent. Then he and Naruto would get ready for the day. Naruto would go jogging around the neighborhood, which Sasuke allowed him to do privately so long as Naruto didn't leave the neighborhood under any conditions. Then they would go to the art gallery for Naruto's work shifts where he would spend an hour doing his chores and then the next six hours staring blankly at a wall while Jiraiya held him hostage, discussing life and fine art with his best friend Sasuke. After work Naruto would get himself dinner and play video games until he pretended to fall asleep so Sasuke would retreat to his own room to slumber. The only time away from one another was in the bathroom or when Naruto went outside in the middle of the night to make shady phone calls and smoke a cigarette.

In actuality, Sasuke was a pretty good bodyguard. He was silent and stoic in public and gave Naruto enough space when he walked down the sidewalk, but he was equally attentive and critical. He didn't make Naruto feel claustrophobic, but he also didn't make Naruto feel like he was alone long enough to make reckless decisions - as he generally did when left to his own devices. He wasn't as calm and professional as Yamato was towards Minato, but Naruto figured that's because he didn't hold nearly as much power as his father did. On the brighter side of that note, however, Sasuke allowed Naruto more freedom than Yamato did Minato. When he would stop to get coffee before going to work, Sasuke waited outside of the café for him. When he stopped by Shikamaru's to apologize to him, Sasuke waited in the car (much to Shikamaru's dislike; Kushina did well to announce to every mother in her friend group that Naruto was being left with a bodyguard, which of course spread to all of his friends - the sons of those mothers - like wildfire. Everyone was mockingly excited to meet Naruto's new pal).

But at the end of the day, the feeling of discomfort and anxiety stuck around Naruto like a bad habit. He never dared to make eye contact with the Uchiha and would only look at him when Sasuke was busy doing something and was unaware of the fact he was being watched. When he was able to get a nap in, the dreams floating around his head always managed to creep back to the kiss, and the nightmares consisted of knowing he was found unattractive. It really bothered Naruto that Sasuke didn't find him attractive. It was enough to make Naruto hate him. Naruto was attractive. What wasn't attractive about him?

It was 4:13 when Naruto couldn't bear laying in bed anymore.

* * *

><p>As if getting little to no sleep the previous night was bad, Naruto's day got worse and worse as the hours passed by. It was such a terrible day, it felt as if that sleepless night was ages ago.<p>

Naruto's eyes slid across the dimly lit room. There were paper lanterns and soft indie music playing in the background. There were small groups of hip-looking teens curled up in corners with novels and notebooks, all with some sort of overpriced, frothy drink in their hand. He hated this place. This was exactly the sort of place he hated. It made Naruto yearn for the peace and solace of that blanket-less cot in cell K14 of the jailhouse. And yet he was there, thanks to the poor decision making of his godfather.

It was only hours ago when Naruto had arrived four minutes late to the gallery, to the distaste of Sasuke, who rebuked any type of tardiness. When they had arrived, Jiraiya was already there, ready to pounce on the Namikaze for showing up late with no excuse.

"This is a terrible day for you to show up late you know," he whispered to Naruto.

"Why-"

"Do you realize that you're late?" a sharp-tongue called from the backroom. Naruto and Jiraiya immediately shivered at the hostile tone. Sasuke looked at them both with confusion. Tsunade stammered out onto the gallery floor. "We pay you to show up on time, you know," she added angrily. "Not whenever you see fitting." Smirking, Sasuke silently applauded her; she was saying everything he could never say to his client, although he desperately wanted to. Finally someone understood him.

"Sorry Gran-" she smacked him upside his head and he rubbed it gingerly, doing the same thing to Jiraiya who had the same reaction as his young, blonde counterpart. She then turned to Sasuke with a soft smile.

"You must be Sasuke Uchiha!" she greeted him kindly. "Jiraiya's has told me so much about you!" Naruto rolled his eyes. How much could Jiraiya have possibly told her about this guy? He himself barely even knew Sasuke - in fact, Naruto barely even knew Sasuke - but he also thought he knew Sasuke a little too much. He shuddered as their kiss flashbacked in his head. He wished his memory would stop replaying that. It was bad enough it happened once, he didn't want to relive it constantly.

"Oh, well, that's very kind of you," Sasuke chuckled humbly in reply.

"Jiraiya even insisted that I go into work late today so that he could introduce me to you," she added. Naruto exhaled deeply. Hadn't she just yelled at _him_ for being late? "He told me that you'll be attending our new gallery opening?"

"Yes, I suppose I am," he said. Naruto glared at him before vanishing into the backroom. How did he manage to charm _everyone_? As charmed by him as Naruto was, he was also severely aggravated that he managed to charm everyone else in the room as well. It made him less charming.

Naruto wrapped the apron around his waist and grabbed a watering pot, filling it with water and a plant enrichment seed. When he returned to the front of the gallery, he saw Tsunade staring at him matter-of-factly. He perked up in reverent fear. Tsunade was known to be just as - if not more - terrifying than his own mother…which was saying something. She was stronger than Kushina and had more years of pent up bitterness and resentment than her too. Her fists were less frequent, but more demanding.

"Speaking of you," she said coyly. "You're still meeting Sakura tonight, right?"

"Who?"

"Sakura Haruno! The girl Jiraiya said you'd go out with - my apprentice down at the hospital," she reminded him with an annoyed expression.

Naruto sank down. He had forgotten all about that. In that moment he felt like stabbing Jiraiya repeatedly for lying to this scary broad. He did _not_ want to go out on a date with some chick - especially if she gets along with Tsunade. That spelled disaster all over it. He'd rather get stuck in a car with Sasuke again - okay, maybe not that far. But still, he really didn't want to do this.

"Oh, right," he mumbled dissonantly. "Where exactly am I meeting her?"

"The café on Center Street," Tsunade breathed. "At six o'clock. You're not going to make her wait, are you?" it was supposed to be a question but it came off more as a threat than anything.

"No, no, I won't," he replied in fear.

"I'll make sure he's on time," Sasuke interjected. Naruto stuck his tongue out at him. What a suck up. Sasuke ignored the immature gesture as Tsunade beamed thankfully at him.

-NSNSNSNS-

So, all thanks to Jiraiya's big mouth (as always), Naruto was having a miserable time on a Friday night. Waiting in a teeny, dark café on Center street was _not _Naruto's idea of fun. He didn't have work the next day - he should be off somewhere getting drunk with Shikamaru and Kiba. Instead he was waiting for a girl to come and sit in on this awfully planned blind date. And to make things worse - he was wearing a _tie_. Naruto never wore ties, not even to his father's functions. He didn't even own a tie - it was Sasuke's.

He anxiously looked over at the bodyguard, who was tables away sipping some sort of tea and glazing over a historic map of Konoha that was hanging on the wall beside him.

"Psst," Sasuke looked up and Naruto motioned him over.

"What do you want?"

"Why are you whispering?"

"You told me I was to be seen and not heard!"

"Get over here!" He threw the small, plastic menu at the Uchiha. Sasuke dodged it nimbly. He proceeded to inhale curtly, cup his mug of tea and pull up a seat to Naruto's tiny table.

"What do you need?"

"Keep me company."

"What? Why?"

"Because I'm sitting alone in a café," he deadpanned. "I'm bored, just hang out here until this lady comes," Naruto ordered in a whiny tone. Sasuke cocked an eyebrow at him with a mischievous smile to match. The sparkling smile turned Naruto's stomach to lead.

"You're not _nervous_ are you?" he toyed, smiling attractively at his employer.

Naruto looked over at him incredulously. "Get real. I'm hating every moment of this and the date hasn't even begun yet. I just don't want to sit alone, alright?"

"You really hate dating this much?" he asked, leaning his chin into the palm of his hand. "That's interesting. It's just a date, you know." Naruto shot him a look. He was wrong - it wasn't 'just a date'. If this date went any better than poorly, Tsunade would begin making wedding preparations instantly. It actually wasn't a date at all, it was some sort of sick test to see if Naruto is behaving and acting like an adult. Tsunade was never convinced that Naruto was being good. If Naruto were asked, it wasn't any of Tsunade's business.

"Well if you feel that way then you can go on this date for me," he retorted sarcastically. After a moment, Naruto realized it was a brilliant plan and his face lit up.

"No," Sasuke snorted. "Not doing that."

"C'mon," Naruto whined, tugging on Sasuke's black coat. "Pleeeeeease." Sasuke shooed him away.

"I like guys, remember?"

"Liar. Now date this girl for me, will ya?"

"I wasn't lying and I'm not going on your date for you," Sasuke said coolly. "Don't be such a child. It's just a date."

"Have you ever even been on a date with a girl? I bet you you'll go straight the minute you actually do go on a date with a girl."

"Naruto-san, get over it. You're stuck here so you might as well try to enjoy it."

Naruto threw his head back in defeat. He inhaled deeply, trying to convince himself that three hours of torture wasn't so bad: it could be worse. He could be with his parents in Sunagakure, or on a date with Sasuke, or something. He glanced over at the Uchiha, who was casually leaning back in his seat, staring wondrously out the window at the fast-moving cityscape before him. Sasuke was constantly enthralled over the city. It made Naruto wonder even more what the Uchiha territory was like. This thought led him to wonder how many dates Sasuke has been on and his chest felt a hot twinge of jealousy, trying to picture it.

"You really don't find me attractive?" He hadn't meant for it to come out, but it did. Sasuke looked over at him in surprise. Naruto pursed his lips and chewed the inside of his cheek to cease any emotion coming across his face as he waited for a reply.

"You're still thinking about that?" he laughed. Offended by the cavalier tone of voice, Naruto opened his mouth to spit an insult back.

"Naruto-kun?" Both boys shot out of their seats at the young lady approaching them.

She was nothing less than unexpected.

-NSNSNSNS-

After a quick greeting with Naruto's date, Sasuke was able to pry himself out of the defiant blonde's grasp and he retreated back to his own table promptly. Watching someone else on a date was exactly what Sasuke had anticipated: horrible.

It was less of the fact that Naruto was purposely pitching an awful date and more of the fact that Sasuke was feeling useless. It didn't matter to him that he was being paid to tag along on someone's blind date. It mattered to him that he wasn't actively doing any sort of job that helped anyone; he was sitting at a table, staring at the back of his client's head and being silently watched by his date. She had the same look in her eye that he saw in Kushina and Tsunade's eyes: endearingly short tempered. Sasuke felt glad not to be Naruto and the rising discomfort of being eyed by the pink-haired girl caused Sasuke to flip open the menu and begin jotting over each entrée, refusing to look up at her and acknowledge her stare. He wasn't sure why she was watching him. She seemed harmless, not some sort of assassin hoping to get Naruto away from him so she could kill the boy. Maybe she was staring at someone behind him or something. Sasuke gave up on wondering.

After their relatively short dinner, Naruto and the girl strolled around the city, much to the pleasure of Sasuke, who was now able to get that close-up view of the city he had been hoping to get. His neck was constantly cocked upwards, trying to catch glimpses of all of the fast-paced wonder surrounding him. He was often bumped into by passersby who seemed to be in a rush. Most of them barely even noticed his presence on the sidewalk. Sasuke appreciated the fact that he was off of the radar in this city; in the Uchiha clan, everyone knew him - he was the Head's second son. But here in Konoha, he was nameless and nobody fawned over him. He loved the anonymity of it all. He loved being invisible.

Sasuke noticed that due to the large buildings encasing the streets, it was much cooler and windier than in the Uchiha clan territory. There were various smells, both good and bad, and the fluorescent lights flickering in the streets were near-blinding. Sasuke's eyes were shifting quickly at all of the different sights. He tried to soak up as much as possible. All of the hanging strings of lights, the aromas coming off of the different dessert stands on the sidewalks, the endless chatter, the street lights constantly changing motions along with color. This place called for whiplash, which Sasuke welcomed happily. His brother was absolutely right: this place truly was far greater than Kumogakure.

Naruto and Sakura were pacing ahead of him increasingly, from three steps ahead, to nine, to fifteen, to twenty. Sasuke noticed it and saw no harm; maybe Naruto wanted a little more alone time. Maybe he was actually trying to get to know the girl. Sakura had linked arms with him and Naruto didn't seem to do anything about it. Maybe he was warming up to the date.

Sasuke spent the remainder of the date marveling at the skyscraping buildings, architectural columns and light posts all perfectly placed around the city. He saw the Hokage Monument lit up under lights and it seemed even more spectacular at night time. Sasuke decided that he wasn't going to leave Konoha without seeing that mountain up close.

Sasuke saw a "Do Not Walk" sign flash white and he looked up abruptly, halting at once. He had forgotten to pay attention to where he was. He looked around swiftly at a three-hundred sixty-degree angle. He didn't recognize anybody. He didn't recognize any street signs.

"Naruto-san?" he called over the loud cars and conversations. He heard no response.

* * *

><p>Rain was pouring down at this point, soaking through Sasuke's suit and chilling him to the bone. He had been wandering for hours.<p>

Sasuke was lost.

He was lost, but he wasn't stupid. He knew the smartest place for him to go was towards the Hokage Building where he could have one of Minato's secretaries call Naruto.

He had half of a mind to believe that Naruto lost him purposely. Maybe Naruto wasn't actually warming up to that Sakura girl. Maybe he was just using the girl as a ploy to get away from Sasuke. Maybe Sakura really _was_ an assassin out for Naruto's life. Or maybe Naruto just took advantage of the fact Sasuke wanted to see the city and used it as a lure to lose him. It wouldn't surprise him in the least. He always knew his presence was unwanted. He knew that even before he showed up. He wondered if Naruto would come get him even if he did get one of his father's secretaries to call. He knew he wouldn't. He could at least contact Naruto's parents, though. A personal call from Kushina? That would frighten Naruto enough for him to come rescue the stranded Uchiha.

While Sasuke had gone the duration of their relationship pretending not to notice the rising tension, he certainly knew it was there. He could feel Naruto's growing desire to push him away for good and he also knew the only reason Naruto didn't is because he would have to face the consequences of his parents. He was such a rotten brat. Each morning since meeting, Sasuke would try to set aside their differences and genuinely get to know Naruto, only to be met with silence and reluctance. In fact, Naruto wouldn't even make eye contact with him. Not after Sasuke kissed him, at least.

Sasuke shook his head fiercely, trying to dispel the thought from his mind. He shouldn't have kissed him. It had unleashed a fury of emotions penting up within Sasuke's groin. What was he thinking? It was such a dangerous thing for him to have done - it led to attachment, which was strictly forbidden within the Uchiha clan. Do not get attached to an assignment. The Clan comes first and the clansmen are merely protectors of that reputation - nothing more. Sasuke knew that. That had been drilled into his mind since before he could understand what that really meant.

But he couldn't help himself. Naruto dared him to - and Sasuke wasn't one to turn down a dare. That was for lesser men. Besides, he _wanted_ to kiss Naruto. He had a strong mouth and square jaw and it drove Sasuke wild, just thinking of running his fingers through the golden hair. It was a moment of weakness for him - and he was ashamed of it.

Sasuke shook his head free before he dove headfirst into his own lusting thoughts. Naruto may look amazing, but his personality was far from it. He was the single worst person Sasuke had ever met. He was a delinquent. He was messy and lazy and spent too much time on video games. He thought Sasuke was an idiot. He was only controlled by fear and he could only control his surroundings by using violence. Sasuke imagined his client at home, laughing to himself about how easy it was to fool an Uchiha and get him lost in the city. He imagined Naruto making a personal call to the ANBU Black Ops telling them to kill him on sight and they would willingly comply because the ANBU never liked Uchihas anyway. He imagined Naruto making up some story about how Sasuke died tragically and telling that to his parents. Sasuke's footsteps became bitter slams into the sidewalk, disregarding puddles as dirty rain water flew into his shoes each time he smashed his foot down.

Sasuke frowned as he tugged on the door of the Hokage's building. It was completely dark inside and completely locked outside. He groaned in defeat. It must close early on Fridays.

Sasuke wasn't sure what time it was but he knew that it was still too early in the night for Naruto to be asleep. He usually passed out on the couch playing video games around midnight. Sasuke assumed three or four hours had passed, but no more than that. The treacherous rain had only began to fall twenty to thirty minutes ago, but it was heavy and left Sasuke dripping wet. The soaked clothes on his body added another ten pounds to him as he shuffled along the sidewalks of Konoha.

Sasuke found a wooden bench to sit on. He dug into his pocket for a cigarette, but only felt the mush of what used to be one. Just his luck. He threw his head back, wanting to punch himself in the face out of stupidity. How could he have let his client out of his sight? He had one job: guard Naruto's body. And he couldn't even do that right. For all he knew, that assassin was busy hacking him to death right now. He squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't want to think about that.

Either way, he was going to be hacked to death too. His father was going to slaughter him. He was going to kill him without even asking for his side of the story. Sasuke could see it now: he was going to have to walk back to the Uchiha Clan territory - to which he didn't know how long that would take - and then hope that his dad was off on a mission and that maybe he'd be able to convince his mother to stand up for him when he came back. Although in retrospect, it didn't matter. Even if Fugaku didn't kill him, he'd certainly be excommunicated from the clan's business. This was his first - and last- bodyguard assignment. It was his last assignment in general. No one would ever want to do business with an Uchiha who couldn't even keep a hold of the loudest, brashest human being on earth. How could he lose Naruto? He was the most cantankerous person alive! His mission hadn't even lasted a week yet and he already failed.

"Hey, you," he heard an unfamiliar voice coming from behind. Sasuke instinctively jumped up and faced the voice. It was a man, with three other men behind him. They were shaggy and scruffy and all of them were dressed in old, tattered clothing, just as wet as his. The four of them were eyeing Sasuke like a piece of meat.

"What do you want," he replied coldly.

"Well," the man replied. "I'm a-lookin' at that coat you got on and it's pretty nice," he said with a toothless smile. Sasuke glowered at him.

"Beat it, scum," he said. "Move along before you piss me off." The man's smile ceased instantly.

"What did you just call me!"

"You heard me," Sasuke turned to leave. He felt an unstable motion stir behind him and turned around, ducking just in time to evade a blow to the face. As he came back up he uppercut the man's jaw. He grabbed the man by the dirty collar of his shirt, his fist ripping through the light, damp cotton.

"You should leave. Now."

"Hey boss," a man from behind said. "Isn't he one of those Uchihas? I've heard 'bout them. You don' wanna mess with one of them, ya know."

"You have wise lackeys," Sasuke said monotonously. "You should follow his advice." Sasuke threw the man back and he stumbled towards the rest of his gang, falling by their feet. "It's a shame, really. If you had just asked politely," he continued, brushing off the shoulder of his coat. "Maybe I would've given this to you." His eyes read fiendishly arrogant.

"That's it!" The man charged at Sasuke with a deep, roaring growl. He caught the guy, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and the belt around his waist. Sasuke threw him back into two other men. Another man's swinging fist came out of nowhere and Sasuke swiftly maneuvered out of the way, sending a left hook into his jugular before feeling a row of hard knuckles meet his lip. He grabbed the fist away from his face and kicked the man back, knocking the wind out of him.

The gang recollected quickly. An unfamiliar boy leapt in front of Sasuke, shielding him. From behind him, a hand slid over his mouth and dragged him away. The boy that was shielding him threw a few quick punches at the gang before running to catch up with them, grabbing Sasuke's other free arm in the process. Sasuke shook the hand away from his face angrily.

"Excuse me-" Sasuke tried loosening the firm grip the two unknown boys had on both of his arms. "Unhand me this moment!"

They both ignored him and dragged him a few blocks away, always constantly looking behind them to see if the gang was following them. After running for a few minutes straight, the hefty one became tired and stopped running. He hunched over with his hands on his knees, gasping for air.

"You know, Sasuke," he said between short, quick breaths. "You sure are difficult to find." He looked up at Sasuke with a kind smile on his face. His clothes had become damp, but he wasn't nearly as soaked as Sasuke was.

"I'm sorry, I don't believe we've ever met," he replied. His eyes shuffled between the two of them, quizzically wondering how they knew his name and what they wanted with him.

"You've got some flashy moves there, you know," the other boy said. "Impressive."

"You didn't tell me how we know one another."

"We don't," the husky one retorted. "But I've been looking forward to meeting you since I heard you came. We all have been," Sasuke didn't understand. "My dad's an important man and he's used Uchiha's in the past. I'd recognize those sharp, dark features anywhere. It was just a matter of finding you." After regaining his breath, he stuck his hand out to shake Sasuke's. "Choji Akimichi, nice to meet you," he introduced. "That over there is Kiba."

"Hey," Kiba greeted him, looking him up and down suspiciously. Sasuke was beginning to feel as if the three of them were in completely different conversations; he wasn't grasping anything from either of the two boys. "We're friends of Naruto's. He has a bunch of us around Konoha looking for you," Kiba continued. He made a grimacing face at Sasuke. "Choji, he's bleeding, do something," he covered his eyes in disgust. Sasuke's wet fingers slid over his face. He felt the cold drops of rain water pooling on his skin and then suddenly, a warm fluid. He looked down at his fingers, bloodied in vermillion.

"I got you," Choji ripped off a piece of his shirt and pressed it onto Sasuke's face. "Just hold that for a little while, it should stop soon, it's not too bad."

Sasuke hadn't realized he was holding his breath, and he suddenly became lightheaded. He looked at both the boys, scanning their faces for any sense of lies or deceit. They seemed honest. Maybe Naruto was searching for him, after all, although he couldn't imagine it. That would mean Naruto had compassion towards him, which seemed highly unlikely.

The three walked a few more blocks before reaching Kiba's car. The heavy rain had become a light drizzle, every so often pelting down in fast, cold droplets before returning to a drizzle once more. Choji spent the duration of their trek on the phone, calling various people to tell them Sasuke had been found and to stop looking. The last phone call was to Naruto.

* * *

><p>The car rolled up into the Namikaze driveway, where Naruto was slouched over on the front steps smoking a cigarette. So badly did Sasuke want that cigarette. He took the white cotton cloth off of his face. It was dark red with his blood, but it was beginning to spot. He slid his tongue over his lip. It was throbbing, but he couldn't taste blood anymore. Sasuke inhaled loudly and scraped his fingers through his hair, remembering that he was completely soaked. The moment he realized he was wet, every inch of his body became unbearably itchy from his damp skin.<p>

The three exited the car and raced for the safe, dry porch Naruto was on. He stood up and looked at Sasuke with a dead expression in his eyes. Sasuke couldn't read what he was thinking about.

"Safe and sound," Choji merrily slapped Sasuke on the back, the tingle of pain only subsiding the constant need to itch for a few short seconds. He was seconds away from ripping his clothes off to subside the need. "A little blood was shed, but all in all he's back in one piece."

"That's good," Naruto said expressionlessly. It wasn't until he spoke did Sasuke realize that he was just as soaking wet as Sasuke was. Had he been wandering around Konoha as well?

Naruto threw his beat cigarette into a flower bush surrounding the porch and instantly lit another one. Immediately three hands encircled him, all calling for a cigarette. Naruto rolled his eyes, muttering something about greedy bastards and giving them each a cigarette.

The four men stood on the porch of Naruto's mansion, silently smoking and looking out at the rain draining from the dark night sky. After a while, the wet rash all over Sasuke's body fell numb and the pain of an unscratched itch took over and felt more like knives stabbing into him. Sasuke inhaled the tobacco slowly, trying to focus on the relaxing sensation of his insides instead. His body was hyperaware of everything at the moment, and he was coming off an adrenaline rush that left him exhausted and slightly panicked for some reason. In the back of his mind he continued to wonder what Naruto was thinking of. He was sure Naruto was trying to get rid of him, and yet…he sent people out searching for him everywhere. Better than that…he was out there looking for him too.

He looked over at his client. Naruto was rapidly finishing the cigarette he started only moments ago and Sasuke wondered just how many he's had today. His face was devoid of an iota of emotion. Sasuke could tell Naruto was still refusing to make eye contact with him, but he noticed the blonde-haired client staring at his beaten, bruised lip every so often. He was still wearing Sasuke's tie.

After finishing his cigarette, Naruto reached for his carton, only to realize it was empty. With a deep breath he rubbed his hands against his face and dragged his wet hair off of his forehead. He was still emotionless, but Sasuke sensed the same amount of exhaustion and stress as he had. He held out his cigarette to him and Naruto thanklessly snatched it from him and finished it off.

* * *

><p>Whew! I'm pretty sure this is the longest chapter I've written so far. I'm sorry it's a few days late this week, I just bought a new laptop so I've been busy trying to get all of my files from my old computer to my new one, so it's been taking me some time.<p>

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please remember to review! (:


	5. 1,000 Unsaid Words

Hey there guys! I'd just like to start off by thanking you all for your continual support. Seeing all of your reviews and how many people read the chapters and favorite the story and get story alerts on this ragtag little story...it makes me smile. Seriously, though. Whenever I get an email and the subject says "Fan Fiction" I instantly light up. So thank you all :)

Anyway, this chapter is a teensy bit shorter than the previous four, but it's imperative for Naruto's sake...so I hope you like it!

* * *

><p>Chapter Five: 1,000 Unsaid Words<p>

"I'm going to go shower," Sasuke announced. He tugged at the collar of his shirt; it was heartlessly sticking to his neck, leaving a red patch of swollen, itchy skin under it. He made haste to step inside into the dry home, and left Naruto out on the porch with his two friends. The trio watched from the window as the Uchiha slinked up the grand staircase of the house and disappeared down the corridor.

"So," Kiba trailed off, waiting until Sasuke was out of ear shot. "He seems nice." Naruto tossed him a glare from the corner of his eye. He was in no mood for small talk and even if he were, he wanted to discuss anything but that guy.

"Sure, if you like psycho-maniac killers who could hold a knife to someone's back before they even knew how to walk," he muttered sarcastically. He sucked on the last few inches of the cigarette Sasuke had given him. He was trying to savor the few final breaths of it's life, knowing his only method of relaxation was weaning quickly.

Choji snorted in response. "Oh, come on. Don't be like that. My dad uses Uchiha's all the time and I've never met a bad one," he defended. "Besides, we saw Sasuke brawl tonight. He could definitely keep you out of trouble if he ever needed to - and knowing you, he will have to at some point."

"I don't know what to think," Naruto scoffed. He looked down at his feet. He didn't want to talk about Sasuke. He didn't want to think about how absolutely enraged he was at his bodyguard's actions. What was he thinking? Gallivanting around Konoha! This wasn't the Uchiha clan where everyone was family and knew your name. This was a city and it was a big place full of thugs who get off on fighting innocent people like Sasuke. For someone of such an intelligent caliber, Sasuke sure was an idiot. How stupid could he be? Getting lost like that. Making Naruto have to call in friends to help him find him. Naruto wanted to punch him as hard as he could as many times as he could stand to. He wanted to fire him and ship him off back to his own home, banning him from ever returning to Konoha. He wanted to shake him and hug him and kill him. He wanted to make sure his bloody lip was okay. Those hurt like a bitch, no one knew that better than Naruto. He exhaled longingly and threw his head to the side.

"What are you thinking about?" Kiba asked. "You're thinking about something."

Naruto put out the rest of the cigarette. He lost his appetite for nicotine in that moment. "I…I don't know," he took a long pause. "I expected him to be this big, old guy who wouldn't let me talk or walk without breathing down my neck. I expected him to kill my dad in his sleep or poison my mom's breakfast or something. But he's nothing like that," Naruto explained. "I thought I knew what I was getting into, but I don't. He's young and nice and I don't know…he's sort of cool I suppose."

"Naruto," Choji said. "My father is one of your dad's closest confidants. He's a commander over the ANBU. I've seen and met with so many Uchihas and that old reputation that's hanging around them? It's useless. They're nothing like that. Uchiha's are some of the nicest, most charming people I've ever met."

Charming. Ha. Naruto knew that all too well. Sasuke could charm anyone.

Naruto pushed his back to the wall and slid down to the ground and sat. He looked out onto the driveway, void of expression. He was too tired from running around Konoha to express anything. In all actuality, he was exhausted and felt like passing out at any moment. But he wouldn't; his mind was racing far too fast for that to happen.

"Did he charm you?" Naruto asked quietly.

"What?"

"Sasuke," he said. "Did he charm you?"

Choji and Kiba exchanged glances. "…Did he charm _you_?" Kiba asked carefully.

Naruto laughed lightly. Yes, of course he did. "No," he said. "But he charms everyone else he makes contact with." His weak smile switched to a frown.

"He's an Uchiha, he can't help it," Choji said with a scoff. "Like I said, they're some of the nicest people I've ever met. Very careful. Very obedient. Very charming." That was rich, coming from Choji, whom Naruto considered the nicest person _he's _ever met.

There was a draft silence between the three of them. After some time, his two friends joined him in sitting on the floor of the patio. The rain was drastically pouring down now, large drops loudly falling around the safe haven the three were hiding under. Naruto stared blankly out at the rainy scape. He could hear the droplets pelting into puddles on the terrace. His clothes were drenched and his subconscious was already dreading the fuss it was going to be to get out of wet clothing. But Naruto didn't care in the moment. He felt a strong, wet itch crawling over his skin but he didn't care about that, either. He was only thinking of Sasuke, the one thing he never thought twice about. The one thing he didn't want to talk about. But he couldn't help it this time. Sasuke had gone mentally ill beyond belief. Wasn't his job to protect Naruto? He wasn't being paid to prance around Konoha looking at all the stupid, mundane things around him. Since when were twinkling lights enough to cause an uproar? Naruto had never seen it. He didn't get the magic that he saw Sasuke have in his eyes.

But he was mad. And he told himself he was mad that he had an inadequate bodyguard but really he mad for every reason except that. He didn't care that his contributor wasn't guarding his body. He was mad that he got lost. He could've gotten hurt or kidnapped or even worse. He was mad that he had to stop his entire night to go look for him. He was mad that he had to call friends to help him. He was mad that he wasn't the one who rescued Sasuke. He was mad that he couldn't get the alone time to viciously criticize everything about him. He was mad that he was scared. He was scared he'd never see him again. He was scared that Sasuke brought up emotions he had never felt before. He felt fear and confusion and compassion and his stomach grew hot when he knew Sasuke was looking at him and he liked when Sasuke put his hair behind his ear or brushed the bangs off of his forehead. He hated Sasuke. He hated that every part of his body and personality made Naruto want to throw away all inhibitions and ravage him. Where was this coming from? He hated this.

"Naruto," Kiba called loudly. Naruto jumped from the noise. He looked up at his two friends, who were staring at him, dumbfounded. He grinned sheepishly, a flush coloring his face.

"What."

Kiba and Choji shared nervous looks with one another. Naruto eyed them both curiously.

"What," he repeated.

"There's not…" Choji drifted off. "There's not anything going on between you two…is there?" Naruto noticed that neither of his friends would make eye contact with him.

"Excuse me?" he grunted. "Did you just ask me if I was _getting with _the bodyguard I've known for barely even a week?" The two shrugged in reply. Naruto rolled his eyes. "No, actually. There isn't anything going on. And I would never."

"Okay," Choji replied in a sing-songy voice.

"You don't believe me?" he asked incredulously. "Choji, I like girls for Christ sake!" Why did this topic keep coming up? Why did he keep having to defend his sexuality this week? He liked girls. He just so happened to hate them as well, that's all.

"No, no, I know," he responded. "You've just been acting funny."

"Acting funny?"

"Yeah," Kiba chimed in. "You're usually all self-absorbed and don't give a shit about anyone else. Last I heard you didn't even want a bodyguard at all. It just seems a little out of character for you to be racing around Konoha in the pouring rain looking for him. You had a window of opportunity to get rid of him once and for all and you didn't," he explained. "It just seems strange, that's all we're saying."

"If anything happened to him, my parents would have killed me," Naruto covered. "First of all, they adore that guy. Second of all, his father is one of my dad's old buddies. And thirdly, if I don't get through a month of him, he's going to be here twenty-four seven. I have to be good for the next thirty days or I'm stuck with him forever."

"If you say so," Kiba hugged his knees to his chest. Naruto wasn't convinced that either of them believed his story - he didn't fully, either - but he didn't care. He wanted to stop talking about this. Anything but this. Anything but _him_. He wasn't sure if there was anything going on between the two of them - how could there be? - but he certainly didn't want to sit in a circle and talk about his feelings, either. Besides, Sasuke didn't find Naruto attractive. There's no way anything was going on.

The three sat and chatted lightly for a little while longer. Kiba looked down at his watch with a groan.

"I promised my mom I'd get home before midnight," he says. "We should get going. I bet Akamaru is dying for a walk right about now." Choji nodded and the three friends stood up in unison. After a short goodbye, they went their separate ways.

"Hey, Naruto," Choji called from down the porch steps. Naruto turned to face him.

"You're gunna be alright, right?"

Naruto nodded silently before slipping into his house and shutting off the patio light.

* * *

><p>Sasuke shook his freshly washed hair out of the shower towel. He clothed himself with a dry, clean-smelling shirt and pair of pants and curled up into his bed. Sasuke had never before been so glad to see this shabbily made, full-sized bed. He happily snuggled himself into his blankets and shut the lights off. Moments later his bedroom door burst open, slamming against the wall behind it and a dark silhouette appeared in front of him.<p>

Sasuke sat up and flicked the light switch back on. Naruto was standing at the foot of his bed, his shoulders hunched and fists balled up together.

"Yes?" Sasuke trailed off in confusion. "Anything the matter?" The look on Naruto's face was drastically opposite of the indifferent expression he wore on his face outside on the patio.

"Anything the matter," he repeated with a glower. "What's the matter? The matter is that you're a complete idiot!" he shouted. Sasuke watched from his warm bed as his client began storming around the room, breathing out in sharp, short huffs. He stayed silent. He would swallow that insult. He deserved that. He had been acting stupidly that night.

He stopped pacing and turned to Sasuke, tugging ruggedly at his arm.

"Let go of me-"

"Do you have any idea what you're dealing with?" he asked angrily. He didn't realize he was screaming, but he also didn't care. "You could have _died_ out there. This isn't some cushy clan territory where people wait on you hand and foot."

Sasuke choked back a laugh as he snatched his arm away. "Is the spoiled brat of Konoha telling _me_ that this assignment I'm on isn't a vacation? Because I'm pretty sure that's what I just heard."

"Don't get sassy with me," Naruto spat. "I know Konoha. You don't."

"I'm a raised and trained expert in advanced combat," Sasuke replied pointedly, throwing away his bed sheets and standing up. He towered over Naruto. "I've seen and done things in my life you could never even imagine. I can take care of myself. In fact, I can take care of myself so well that I've been put in charge of also taking care of you. Or did you forget?"

"Well do your damn job then! Don't leave my side just to go stare at some dumb monument ever again!" he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Sasuke stared calmly at the door as it swung back open.

"And another thing-"

"You like me, don't you."

Naruto closed his lips. Sasuke looked at him with a level of poise that made Naruto want to punch him. He hated being the only one who was worked up. It made him feel crazy like his mother.

"I can see what's going on here. It's okay if you do," he continued. "Straight guys have liked me before. I don't know why this always happens," he murmured with a flighty laugh.

Naruto blinked at the Uchiha. He lost his ability to speak as an endless trail of explicit responses flew through his mind.

"Excuse me?" he spoke quietly, shaking his head. "What?"

"You like me," Sasuke stated as a fact, crossing his arms. "That's fine, I mean, it explains a lot, actually. That's why you were so reluctant to meet that girl tonight. That's why you wanted me to hit on you to prove I was gay. That's why you cared so much about me getting lost in the city. It's why you're so angry and frustrated at me all of the time - you've never felt this way before about another man and it scares you. You've simply made a mistake, that's all."

"I like you?" Naruto repeated. "You think I _like _you?"

"You didn't strike me as a compassionate person until tonight," Sasuke replied. "Look, it's happened before. Guys find out I'm gay and then they start questioning themselves. It's not as if this feeling isn't normal."

Naruto chuckled maniacally. He slowly made his way to Sasuke, pinning him against the wall, his strong hands harshly clutching onto the Uchiha's slender shoulders, erasing any type of height intimidation Sasuke once had.

"Let's get some things straight," Naruto said darkly. "I do _not_ like you and the next person to tell me that tonight that is going to get punched in the fucking face." Sasuke blinked slowly. So his friends suspected it too? This conversation only further convinced Sasuke that he was correct in his assumption. "Two, if anything happened to you, not only would my mother kill me slowly and painfully, but I'd be stuck with you forever. And we can't have that happen." Naruto's face was glaring fiercely at the Uchiha. It was the closest he had ever gotten to unnerving the boy. "Also, I don't like you. I don't like your voice, I don't like your face, I don't like you in my house, in fact I pretty much despise you as human being and - if you must know - Sakura and I really hit it off tonight. I've already asked her to be my date to Jiraiya's stupid gallery opening in two weeks. So no, Sasuke Uchiha, I do not like you romantically or even as a friend and I can not _wait_ until this month is over so you can crawl back to your seedy clan and secretly kill hundreds of innocent people with the rest of your dirty, despicable clansmen-" Sasuke swatted him away bitterly.

"Get out."

"Gladly."

Naruto slowly backed out of the room, not daring to take his eyes off of the Uchiha. He noticed the glimmer of a red hue crazily shining in Sasuke's eyes.

* * *

><p>Naruto chewed slowly on the same mouthful of ramen he was chewing on five minutes ago. He stared vapidly at the vase of flowers on the kitchen table. True to form, the night was sleepless and was spent rolling from side to side in bed, trying to block out thoughts of the body guard. Before he was even able to close the door and leave Sasuke's room, an unbearable amount of remorse set in and laid heavily on his heart.<p>

But he didn't like Sasuke romantically. He couldn't. That wouldn't be right.

Did he?

It didn't matter now. He had openly dialogued his feelings about the Uchiha clan to a member of the clan itself. Sasuke would never forgive him. Sasuke loved his clan. The naturally cheerful and charming Sasuke would never look at him the same, if he would look at him ever again at all. Not to mention he basically had told Sasuke he hated everything about him.

Naruto folded his arms on the table and buried his head into them. He was dreading the moment Sasuke would walk down the stairs and into the kitchen to get breakfast. It was nearing in on 7:30, when the bodyguard routinely waltzed in to make tea and small talk.

True to form, Sasuke timely stepped off the final stair and opened the door into the kitchen. He stood in the doorway, staring at Naruto for a few moments.

"Good morning," he said. He had already changed into his daily suit. Normally he made himself breakfast while still in his pajamas.

"Morning," Naruto replied, confused. He had anticipated silence but was met with a hollow greeting? Naruto watched Sasuke's every move as he gracefully floated over to the tea pot, filled it with water, and heated it on the stove He stood towering over it, his hands on his hips. He was glaring at it impatiently. He wasn't small talking.

A few minutes later, the shriek of the tea pot rattled through the silent kitchen. Sasuke immediately whipped it off of the stove and poured the hot water into his cup. After preparing his tea, he sat across from Naruto at the table, quietly breathing on his tea to cool it down. Naruto watched motionlessly as Sasuke's lips blew on the steam emanating from the drink. He had nice lips. Naruto looked away, blushing at the thought. He was embarrassed to even have thought that. He dug his face further into his arms. He felt the twinge of his groin hardening.

Naruto hoped the entire day wouldn't be like this: silent. It was the worst kind of silence. The silence of a thousand unsaid words. The silence heavily waiting upon an apology or an explanation or a fight. Naruto didn't want this. He wasn't sure what exactly he wanted with his watcher, but he knew it wasn't this. He sat up straight and looked at Sasuke carefully. His lip was prevalently fatter than it was normally and had bruised quite a bit, dark shades of blue swelling underneath his porcelain skin. He hated seeing Sasuke's face flawed like that. He wanted to avenge him and destroy whatever loser had the nerve to hit him. Deciding that he couldn't sanely live in this resonating silence, he looked at Sasuke in the eye for the first time.

"Look, Sasuke," Naruto started. He was twiddling his thumbs. "About last night-"

"I apologize," Sasuke said professionally, chopping apart Naruto's thoughts. "You're absolutely right. It was completely inappropriate of me to even let there be distance between the two of us on the sidewalk, let alone leave your side. It won't happen again."

"Well, yeah, that's fine but that's not what I wanted to talk-"

"I've done some thinking and I've decided that things have to change. It's unprofessional of me to be treating you the way I have been, so for the remainder of my stay I'll be treating this as any other mission - silently."

Naruto stared at him, processing everything he was saying. He wasn't going to talk to Naruto anymore? They couldn't hang out and drink tea together or talk in the car on the way to the art gallery? Naruto frowned.

"I'm your boss," Naruto told him. "So you'll do as I say. And I don't like that plan."

"There are bosses higher than you in my agenda, however," he replied coolly, brushing his fingers through his hair. "And those people would be mortified at the level of casualty between you and I. We shouldn't be fraternizing with one another. You shouldn't be talking about my clan and I shouldn't be trying to get to know you. It's dangerous and it's pointless."

Naruto furrowed his brow. "You're wrong."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes you are!" he exclaimed, slamming his palm on the table, rattling his bowl of ramen in the process. "There's nothing wrong with us talking. You've gone mad, Sasuke."

"Please excuse me, Naruto-san," he stood up from the table with a respectful bow and left the kitchen. Naruto could sense his presence from outside of the door. He was guarding the kitchen the way ANBU agents guard the outside of Minato's office. He groaned audibly and hit his forehead onto the table.

This newfound idea of Sasuke's was far from helpful.

-NSNSNSNS-

The remainder of the day was spent quietly. Sasuke didn't speak at all. This time it was him playing the silent game. This time he was the one who wouldn't make eye contact.

It's not that he wanted, or even liked, this new dichotomy between the two of them. But laying in bed the night before, rethinking everything he's done since arriving at the Namikaze Manor - he wasn't being his normal self. He wasn't acting as if this were a mission and no matter how casual of a mission it is, it didn't water down the fact that it was completely uncouth of him to treat Naruto as an equal. As much as he hated it, Naruto was _not_ his equal. He was his employer and Sasuke was to protect him. That job description didn't include talking or getting to know one another and it certainly didn't involved getting lost in the city or kissing him. Looking back at the past week, Sasuke became indescribably mortified by his actions. What would his father say if he knew how his son was behaving? What would Itachi say about all of this? They'd be stunned. They'd be embarrassed.

Sasuke was quickly becoming bored of standing outside of doors all day. But this is what true bodyguards did: they protected their client and waited outside of rooms for them. They don't flirt with anyone. They don't laxly travel around an art gallery with some old man trying to sell his dirty romance novels under the table. They don't consider actually buying the dirty romance novels, either.

Naruto, visibly irate at this new relationship of theirs, spent the morning angrily slamming doors and banging dishes and furniture around to prove to Sasuke how upset he was. Each time he passed Sasuke he would purposely make an obscene amount of eye contact with the Uchiha. He would speak all of his thoughts aloud, and loudly enough for Sasuke to hear them. Sasuke felt the frustrated-yet-apologetic aura surrounding his client, but he couldn't let Naruto say sorry for the things he said to him the night before. It wouldn't change the fact that Sasuke was being unprofessional. Naruto was his client, he could be as unprofessional as he wanted. Sasuke didn't have that luxury.

Around sunset, Naruto walked down to the corner store and bought a package of cigarettes. He offered one to Sasuke, who silently declined, and made several quiet phone calls on the walk back home. For dinner, he ate the same thing he had eaten at every meal for the past four days - ramen - and retreated to the living room to play video games. It was the worst possible way for Naruto to spend his Saturday - one of his only days off that week - but he wanted to make a statement. A statement that told Sasuke he hated this new divide between them.

Naruto watched as the TV screen flashed in rapidly changing neon lights. He had beaten this level for the 7th time that night. He lazily threw the game controller away from him and slouched into the couch, his eyes glazed over and drooping with a bored exhaustion. He knew Sasuke was standing by the door, only a few feet away. He felt a strange wave of safety ride over him and let his eyes fall for a final time. Just as they did, an earth shattering crash sounded through the estate.

-NSNSNSNS-

Sasuke stood stoically by the door. A large, glass-breaking crash thundered from downstairs and Naruto shot up from the couch, reciprocating a panicked look with the Uchiha.

"Stay here," Sasuke commanded roughly. Naruto had never heard his voice like that before and he sat back down promptly. Sasuke swiftly raced down the stairs, making sure his footsteps never made a noise. He crept carefully around the corners of the rooms, making sure to shut off all of the lights as he did so - he knew the layout of the home, the intruder did not. Sasuke slipped into the backroom where the sound came from. He pulled a pocket knife out of from his jacket and pressed himself against the door. For a moment, he shut his eyes and took a breath to calm himself. He hadn't anticipated combat during this assignment. He felt greatly unprepared. He opened his eyes and peeked through the crack of the door. A large, dark figure entered the house from the broken window. Sasuke clutched his knife tightly.

"Freeze!" He jumped out and the intruder threw his hands up in fear.

"Sorry! Sorry! I couldn't find my key! It's just me, it's Jiraiya!"

Sasuke dropped his arm and flipped his pocketknife back in with a relieved - yet aggravated - sigh. He flipped the light switch on and the illuminated room showed to be partially destroyed - the windows had been completely broken-in to and there was glass and dirt scattered everywhere, but the rest of the room seemed okay.

"Sorry Sasuke-kun!"

Naruto sprinted into the room and slid on the tiled floor, nearly crashing into the broken glass with his bare feet. Sasuke snatched him by the collar of his shirt and dragged him behind him, saving him from falling.

"I told you to wait upstairs," he said through grit teeth.

"Jiraiya!" Naruto ignored him, pushing his hand away from his shirt. "What the hell have you done!" He pointed angrily at the broken window. Glass pieces were scattered around the floor and the window pane was nearly destroyed by the weight of holding Jiraiya up. "My parents are gunna kill me!" Naruto buried his face into his hands.

"I said I was sorry," he chuckled apologetically. He turned his attention to Sasuke. He raced over to the Uchiha, grabbed him and lifted him up into a bear hug. "You told me that Sasuke had been lost so I came to make sure he was okay!" He dropped Sasuke back down to the floor with a grunt. "Who did what to your face?" he gingerly cupped the boy's jaw, staring at his swollen, beaten lip.

"I'm fine," he swatted Jiraiya's hand away, lovingly rubbing the wounded area.

Naruto protectively swatted Jiraiya's hand away even further. "You should have called. Someone would have let you in."

"Element of surprise," the old man responded mischievously. He stared worriedly at Sasuke and his lip, alongside Naruto who did the same thing. Sasuke was staring worriedly at Naruto, sensing the rising tension emanating from the blonde.

"Besides," Jiraiya continued, looking back at Naruto. "Your old man asked me to be a little sneaky at some point during the month. You know, break some glass, give you a heart attack, make sure Sasuke could do his job alright." Naruto shot his godfather a hard stare. "So blame Minato."

"Well did I at least pass?" Sasuke asked innocently.

"You passed!" The two cheerfully high-fived one another. Naruto threw his face into the palm of his hand before skulking out of the room and up to his bedroom, retiring for the evening.


	6. Lovers

Ahh okay. Well I know I'm a little late on this chapter... (sorry!) but thank you all so much for all of your positive feedback!

I'm in the middle of changing over from a desktop to a Macbook so if this looks strange or you can't read it or there's a ton of errors or something please tell me. I'm still trying to figure this whole transitioning thing out!

* * *

><p>Chapter Six: Lovers<p>

Sasuke went to sleep with ease that night. Despite a silent and dreadful day of guarding a bitter body, the little kerfuffle with Jiraiya caused him enough exhaustion for at least an eight-hour coma. There was something about that guy that always came off as overbearing... despite Sasuke's friendship and admiration for Jiraiya, he had never experienced him outside of an art gallery, and certainly never with alcohol in his system. Jiraiya seemed a lot bigger when he wasn't sober, for some strange reason.

Sasuke let his eyes flutter shut, his last thoughts sending hope out into the universe that his client wouldn't be nearly so moody tomorrow.

* * *

><p>The following day was just as silent. Naruto seemed to succumb to the silence Sasuke was adamantly promoting, and spent his final day of the weekend being bitter, pouting and shooting scowls at the Uchiha every time the two made eye contact - which he made sure was often.<p>

Sasuke couldn't help but wonder what the blonde-haired boy was thinking about. He was acting more abrasive and gruff than usual and would always awkwardly shift each time he had to walk by him to leave or enter another room. Naruto had been this irritable - if not more - since Jiraiya's grand entrance the previous night, and the tension between the two was rising quickly. He was debating whether or not it was about his decision to be a silent bodyguard, but he couldn't imagine it made much of a difference to the blonde. Either way, it didn't matter. Sasuke was staying silent. It was in the best interests of his mission.

On Sunday morning, Naruto had woken up early to prepare tea for the both of them. When Sasuke saw his gesture of kindness, he rebutted it by pouring himself a class of orange juice and exiting the room. When Naruto ordered dinner for the both of them and told Sasuke he was only allowed to eat if he sat down and ate with Naruto, Sasuke went to bed hungry that evening. The tug-of-war battle between the two of them was inevitably volatile - and Sasuke knew that. He just hoped he wouldn't have to stick around long enough for it to erupt.

The next morning Naruto was back at work at 10 a.m. sharp. He briskly walked past the bodyguard and chauffeur as he saddled into the backseat of his limousine, followed by the Uchiha. The morning air was dewy and crisp, and the yellow sun was beaming through the trees, which were only just beginning to recuperate from their naked winter season.

Naruto dozed off the moment the car began to make its way off of the home's property. It wasn't until they were creeping towards the city a half an hour later did he wake up. The sun was mercilessly shining on his eyelids, forcing him awake. Naruto scooted farther way from the window to steer clear of the sunshine, but inadvertently ended up uncomfortably close to his bodyguard. Sasuke made no sudden movement, although he was dying to wrestle his arm away from touching Naruto's, almost as eagerly as Naruto was.

Naruto's eyes shifted towards the Uchiha. As always, Sasuke's head was halfway out the window, and he was basking in the light. The sun shined down on his hair, showing flecks of blue tendrils. Naruto stopped focusing too closely that. It was best not to linger on his little, charming details.

Sasuke gleamed up at the Hokage's Monument as the car passed underneath the mountain, erasing sun and replacing it with a cool shade over the limousine.

What did he _see _in that? He so stubbornly marveled over the grand statues every time he got the chance to look at it. Whether it was in the car, doing errands around town for Jiraiya or even following Naruto on a date, he could always be caught staring at the attraction. Personally, Naruto saw _no_ attraction in it; if anything, he was detached from the mountain and only saw it as some creepy, watchful eye over him. But maybe that was because his father's face was constantly looming over him. Or maybe it was because, as a child, Minato had told Naruto that when he was away on business, he could still see Naruto's every move through the eyes on his statue. Naturally, Naruto always believed his father was forever surveying him through the carved mountain eyes. He tweaked awkwardly in his seat. Perhaps that legend hadn't been totally disproved yet.

* * *

><p>Naruto slid the key into the hole and turned the door knob. At 9:59 a.m., he was on time, which made Sasuke silently very proud of him. He hoped that maybe some of his timeliness was rubbing off on the young Namikaze, although a piece of him highly doubted that assumption.<p>

"Wow, you're already here?" Naruto asked with a yawn. Jiraiya, across the gallery, flicked the light switch on. Rows of luminescent hanging lights flickered on over the two boys.

"Eh, Tsunade and I had a little argument last night, so I came here early this morning to give her some breathing room," he replied casually. "You know how worked up she gets."

"So she kicked you out?"

"Yeah, basically."

Naruto nodded with a meaningless smile. This wasn't the first - nor the last - time an explosion of Tsunade's rage led Jiraiya to sleep over at the gallery. Naruto headed into the back room to prepare for his shift. Sasuke traipsed over towards Jiraiya, leaning against the counter. Jiraiya handed him a paper coffee cup from the café down the street. Sasuke lightly slid his finger around the rim and watched steam spool out of the drinking hole.

"Your face looks much better," Jiraiya complimented, eyeing the significantly less purple lip Sasuke was sporting. Sasuke lightly rubbed his hand over the swollen patch. It wasn't noticeable, the discoloration over his mouth, but it was bulging enough to damage Sasuke's flawless face and make him look slightly less perfect.

"My whole jaw feels tight," he admitted. He hadn't complained about the wound since it happened, and telling someone of his woes almost seemed to soothe the burn for him. "But I've had worse," he added strongly. Jiraiya nodded sympathetically in return.

Naruto sleepily trudged out of the back room, past the two talking. Jiraiya offered him a coffee cup as well but he lazily declined. He was beginning to get used to being the third wheel at work. Before Sasuke came around, Naruto's shifts were spent talking to Jiraiya about girls and beer before the two of them threw away their responsibilities for the day to go spy on girls at the local bath house. Now it was all about being ignored by Jiraiya as he discussed fine art in a soft voice with his Uchiha buddy.

"So about this gallery opening in two weeks," Jiraiya said. Sasuke listened attentively. Naruto, although still focusing on watering the plants, was also listening. "You're still coming, right?"

"Well of course I am," Sasuke replied insistently. "Truthfully, I'm looking forward to it a lot." He had never been invited to any sort of opening or event or function before - unless he was invited as an assignment, which he didn't count as an invitation. Jiraiya's outreach felt like a personal contact that he had never had before and for that, he was forever indebted.

"Good, good!" Jiraiya said happily. "So, as you probably know, Naruto is taking Sakura Haruno as his date to the event." Sasuke nodded in response. "I talked to Tsunade and she said that she'd get you a girl you could bring as well, that way you won't have to spend the evening alone - or worse, with Naruto," Jiraiya stifled a laugh. Naruto whipped around furiously.

"Sasuke doesn't need a date!" he broke in, stumbling over his words. "He's my bodyguard!"

Jiraiya frowned in reply. Sasuke didn't even bother to look over at his client. He sipped his coffee.

"I invited Sasuke as a guest to my gallery opening. On the night of the opening he isn't your bodyguard, he is a fellow art appreciator." Naruto refused to back down and Jiraiya matched his mean scowl.

"No," Naruto responded. "He's _my_ bodyguard and what he says, does, or goes to is _my_ decision."

"Naruto-san, I-"

"Shut up, Uchiha."

"Naruto, that's enough. Get back to work," despite his worlds, Jiraiya refused to quit at their angry stare down. Neither of the men flinched. Sasuke stood awkwardly between them, feet away from them both. He tried blocking the two of them out and getting lost in an oil painting, but it didn't work.

Naruto gave up eventually and reverted back to watering the plants, muttering profanities to himself as he overly watered each plant in spite, drowning the green stems and flooding the pots they were nestled in. Although he was not looking at him, Sasuke could sense the rising anger in Naruto. It had begun when he told the blonde that they couldn't converse so casually anymore. Since then, the frustration and rage had emanated from Naruto more and more as the moments passed by. He didn't understand what had the blonde so infuriated. He wished he knew. When it began, Sasuke assumed he was just mad that they weren't talking anymore because Naruto liked him, but now he was unsure of where they stood. Sasuke felt the pang of some misplaced guilt, but maybe he was all wrong. Maybe Naruto had been telling the truth - maybe he didn't have any feelings towards Sasuke. Maybe he really did like this Sakura girl. Either way, it didn't explain Naruto's newfound fury.

"Hey, Jiraiya-san," Sasuke strolled over towards a large-sized canvas. "Is this new? I haven't seen it in here before," he picked up the piece. Jiraiya trailed behind him.

"Careful with that, it's very old," he snatched the painting from Sasuke's hands. There were shades of blue streaked from the bottom of the canvas to the top, disappearing into an untouched, starched white spread. "I've been working on it for years," he admitted. "I brought it with me this morning because I finally felt some inspiration to finish it, but I never got around to it. I've been working on it for years now," he explained. "I'm not sure why, but every time I try to finish this painting, I always end up with an artist's block. I'm afraid to even touch it now because I don't want to ruin it. I'm strangely attached to this piece, for some reason," he rationalized with a sheepish chuckle. "I wish I could finish it."

"What was it supposed to be?" Sasuke asked, tilting his head sideways as he looked at it. "Abstract or landscape?"

Jiraiya shrugged hopelessly. "I don't even remember. It's been like this since that one was about seven years old," he pointed over at Naruto. Sasuke snuck a peek at the blonde. He was bending over to water a plant on the floor. Even with his back towards Sasuke, the Uchiha still knew there was the ever-present frown on the boy's face.

"Hey, hey," Jiraiya cupped Sasuke's slender shoulder in his hand. "I've got an idea! _You _finish the painting for me!" He shoved the canvas board at the Uchiha, who clumsily caught it before dropping it on the floor.

"You want me to _what_?"

"Finish the painting!" Sasuke's eyes widened. "It's great! I'm too terrified to touch it, but if you do, it'll be like another layer of its journey to being completed. Oh! And if you finish it before the gallery opening, we can unveil it there! That way not only will you be a guest, but a contributor!"

Sasuke was working hard to keep his swollen jaw together. "I'm not much of an artist, Jiraiya-san-"

"Sasuke, if you're able to appreciate art, you're halfway there to becoming an artist."

"I don't know how true that is..."

"Trust me, it's true," Jiraiya reiterated. "Don't fight me on this kid, I've been an artist longer than you've been alive."

"Will you leave him alone?" Naruto cut in. "He's already got a job - protecting me. Quit bogging him down with stupid watercolors."

"Well someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, "Jiraiya sputtered. "You've been colicky ever since I was at your house on Saturday."

"_At _my house or _broke into_ my house?"

"Again with the crankiness!"

"I'm not cranky! I'm irritated! Leave Sasuke alone! He's busy doing a job," Naruto gave Sasuke a deadpan stare. "That's the only reason he's here, after all. To be silently watchful - right, Uchiha? You're only here to do a job and then you're going away forever?"

So he _was_ still upset about Sasuke's vow of silence.

"Naruto, pack up," Jiraiya ordered. "I'll finish your chores myself. Go home or get some fresh air or something. I don't care what you do, you just can't do it here. You're acting rotten, I don't have time for this today." Naruto didn't finish listening to his godfather before stomping into the back room. He threw the watering pot away and it smashed into a hundred pieces on the tiled floor. He whipped the apron off of his waist, grabbed his keys and stormed his way towards the front door.

"You take this," Jiraiya muttered to Sasuke, collecting a few brushes and a painter's palette and shoving them into Sasuke's arms. "Don't worry, he'll be fine, he just inherited his mother's awful temper." Sasuke obediently took everything Jiraiya gave him and the man shoved him out the door alongside his blonde cohort. "I'll send some more painting supplies to the manor," Jiraiya added. Sasuke nodded frantically.

"Come back tomorrow with a better attitude, kid," Jiraiya called to Naruto before slamming the gallery doors shut.

Naruto's chauffeur was standing by with a frightened expression on his face. Sasuke noted that he was incredibly anxious looking. Apparently everyone was fretful when Naruto started to get hot-headed.

"Take these," Naruto snatched the canvas and paint supplies out of Sasuke's hands and shoved them at his chauffeur. "Take a taxi and bring these back to my house." He took the car keys to his limousine from the man and headed towards his vehicle.

Sasuke stood on the sidewalk dumbly, his eyes quickly shifting from the confused driver, to his angry client, back to the driver. He didn't know what to say or do. He wasn't entirely sure what was going on, really.

"Get in, Sasuke," Naruto climbed into the driver's passage and started the car. Sasuke, without thinking, quickly hurried to the passenger seat.

-NSNSNSNS-

"Where are we going?" Normally Sasuke loved car rides, but he wasn't enjoying this one at all. He kept a close eye on the speedometer; Naruto's speed was twenty miles above the speed limit - and rising. His hand was instinctively clutching onto the side of the door, his other hand cupping his seat belt for extra security. The world outside of the passenger window was blurring; lights and signs and colors blended together and pedestrians were mere swishes before Sasuke's quick eyes.

Naruto's hand was clutching onto 12 o'clock as he drove. His other arm was resting on the fully rolled-down window and his jaw was leaning against a clenched fist. The cool, quick wind swallowed the driver's cabin of the limousine, blowing the boys' hair in every direction.

"Why do you like that dumb mountain so much, anyway?"

"What?"

"The Hokage's Monument!"

Sasuke pursed his lips in thought. After a few moments he shook his head in confusion. "What difference does it make? I just like it, okay. I don't need a reason."

Naruto didn't reply to Sasuke's response but his head dug deeper into his hand. Sasuke stared deeply at the driver as golden strands of hair whisked greedily around his face, covering his angry blue eyes as he drove. Sasuke gave up on trying to read his expression and settled back into his seat. Just as he did, the car swerved onto a corner street. Sasuke was clutching the door with both hands, fearing for his life. After a long road with multiple hidden surveillance cameras and "No trespassing" signs, the car ended up in a forest-covered parking lot and screeched to a dead stop.

"Come on, Uchiha," Naruto was out of the car by the time Sasuke opened his eyes and realized that he was no longer in transit. He ceased clutching the door and looked around dizzily. Now he knew why that kid had a chauffeur.

Sasuke straggled behind Naruto, his legs squandering for footsteps as they were still jelly-legged from such a terrifying car ride.

He looked around, unfamiliar with this part of town. It seemed to be on the outskirts of the city in a small patch of woods, but he couldn't be sure. It seemed dark and seedy compared to the other part of Konoha he had seen - but not the kind of place that was a hotbed for trouble; it was the opposite... It was secretive and corporate.

The parking lot led to the back of a huge red building, with double doors guarded by three, unmasked ANBU agents. Was this the headquarters for the ANBU Black Ops? Was Naruto bringing him here to kill him? Sasuke's heart beat was still too scared from the drive here to be wondering if he was about to be assassinated or not.

The three ANBU agents were chattering happily in front of the doors, all carrying at least two lethal weapons as far as Sasuke could see. Upon seeing Naruto arrive, the three all stopped speaking immediately and threw themselves down onto the ground in a respectful bow. Sasuke hadn't seen Naruto's true power up until now. So this is what it was like being the Hokage's son.

"What are you doing here, Naruto-sama?" one asked.

"Move, please," he muttered, ignoring their questions and walking past them. The moment he was through the doors, the ANBU members jumped back up to maintain their position, all sharing dirty looks with one another as Sasuke walked by.

"Are you going to tell me where we are?" Sasuke asked, following his boss through the double doors. He was beginning to get annoyed. "This is extremely inappropriate behavior, you know." Naruto rapidly pushed a button outside of two elevator doors. Eventually the doors slid open and Naruto walked in. He quietly motioned for Sasuke to join him.

"So you're just going to stay silent, then?" Sasuke asked, watching Naruto press a dozen elevator buttons before the steel doors slowly shut. Naruto looked down at his feet and leaned against the elevator wall. His hands hid in his pockets. Sasuke took that as a yes. He huffed and blankly stared into the elevator door, which mirrored the two boys. Sasuke noticed Naruto's deflating posture.

"Why would you do that?" Naruto asked. His tone was even and small, but there was a hint of insulted curiosity in his voice.

"Do what?"

Naruto scoffed and rolled his eyes, as if the answer was obvious. "You know what," he mumbled. "Why would you agree to go to Jiraiya's opening with a _girl_?"

Sasuke looked at him, offended. The elevator dinged loudly and the chrome doors slid open, revealing the rooftop. Naruto stepped out of the elevator, Sasuke trailing behind him cautiously.

"Where are we?" He looked around carefully, before seeing it all. He scrambled to the railed edge of the roof. They were on top of the Hokage's Mansion - they were scraping the sky above the entire city and Sasuke could see all the flashy, prattling detail of Konoha with a birds-eye view. "This...this is amazing," he said, his dark eyes wide like saucers.

"_This _isn't why I brought you here, stupid," Naruto grabbed his arm and swung him around. "Up!" Sasuke's neck craned all the way back and his palm stretched out over his eyes as a visor to block out the sunbeams. The roof was just below the Hokage's Monument. The stone faces - the craftsmanship of the entire mountain - was literally right before his eyes.

"Wha..." Naruto stared critically at his bodyguard.

"I really don't see any appeal in this place," he sighed, looking around with a disgusted expression on his face. "But you seem to, so...so..." he blushed, looking away. "So I was sick and tired of watching you stare at it like a dog out a car window every damn day."

Sasuke ignored his feisty comment, knowing he didn't mean it. He looked over at his contributor and flashed him a grateful smile. Naruto squinted meanly at the beautiful attraction.

"Well in any case," Sasuke said, reverting his sight back up to the mountain, "that was very thoughtful of you."

"So you're gunna get over it now, right?"

"Hmm?" Sasuke looked at him, puzzled.

"The monument - you're gunna stop fawning over it every time we come into the city now, right? No more running away on a Friday night just to look at it?"

"I didn't run away from you on Friday," Sasuke corrected. "I just got separated from you." Naruto nodded his head as if he didn't agree with that statement. "And yes, I'll stop _fawning _over it, as you say," he added with a smile. "Excuse me for being a tourist. Unlike you I haven't grown up seeing this thing out my window every day."

Naruto studied Sasuke's face carefully. "So there's really nothing like this in the Uchiha territory?"

Sasuke noticed Naruto's attempt to get him to be more "personal" - like he was before claiming silence between the two of them. He redirection the question. "Naruto-san, there isn't anything like this _anywhere_." Naruto accepted the dignified answer and let it go. With a light breath he slumped down to the ground and sat. The roof was high enough to look over the entire cityscape and close enough below the mountain to be almost completely covered in shade so that the hot, Konoha sun wasn't beating down on them. Sasuke followed suit and sat down as well.

He looked over at his brooding patron. He was always sitting in a poor posture position and he was always frowning. His cerulean blue eyes were always glazed over with boredom. He was full of always'. Always stiff, always grumpy about something, always in trouble, always some sort of mild threat to his environment. But Sasuke saw through all of that. Sasuke saw someone who was practically designed to be happy. Sasuke saw a golden blonde 22-year-old who had bad luck and yet every reason in the world to smile. He was well-taken care of, loved by many, wealthy, important, carefree. He was the exact opposite of Sasuke, who faced some new sort of struggle every day of his life. He was opposite in the way that Sasuke was always calm and tried to be positive. Naruto didn't waste his time trying to be positive. Being negative seemed to be effortless to him.

Sasuke bet Naruto had a great smile.

"Naruto-san," Sasuke spoke softly. Naruto looked over at the Uchiha.

Before he had a chance to react, Sasukes lips were pressed onto his again - but it wasn't like last time. There was no bravado in this interaction as there had been last time Sasuke kissed him. He wasn't gripping onto him or trying to pour his tongue into his client's mouth. He was being soft and intimate and direct. It was like kissing a shadow. But Naruto didn't care. He opened his eyes halfway through and pushed the bodyguard off of him.

"You need to stop doing that," Naruto commanded. He flushed out of mortification and dragged his hand through his wildly messy hair to distract his senses from flooding to his burning lips and cheeks.

"Forgive me," Sasuke looked away, ashamed. "I was in the moment, that's all."

"Well I'd appreciate it if you stopped having those moments, you know," Naruto responded even-keeled. He was trying very hard to stop his heart from pounding so rapidly. He was afraid Sasuke could hear it. He wanted to rip it out of his chest and chuck it, but he had a feeling such heavy pounding would cause an earthquake and rupture the towering mountain above them. "I told you - I like girls. Namely Sakura Haruno. I wasn't kidding when I said I didn't like you like that."

"I know," Sasuke murmured. "I said I was sorry."

"You can't keep kissing me, anyway," joked Naruto solemnly. "Or I'll start to think you were lying when you said I was unattractive to you." He chuckled out of instinct. Sasuke smirked.

After the kiss Sasuke and Naruto stayed quiet for some time. Sasuke eventually stood up and began walking around the rooftop: scanning over the entire city of Konoha, studying each Hokage's carved face one by one, noting specific and accurate details on each face and deciding that the best carving was the one of the Second Hokage, although Minato's was on-point as well. Every so often he would ask Naruto some collegiate-level question he didn't know how to respond to.

Naruto watched him motionless, staying seated where he sat down when they first arrived. His eyes followed the Uchiha around the large rooftop. At one point, Sasuke became so excitedly flustered over the monument that he ended up taking off his sports coat, which was the first time he had ever done so in front of Naruto. Naruto surveyed him carefully; he looked good in a suit and tie. It fit well over his athletically slim figure. Naruto bet he had nice abs.

Naruto stood up and strut over to Sasuke, who was now leaning over the front railing of the roof, looking over the fenced entrance to the Hokage's Mansion and over the main portion of the city.

Naruto slid his old sandal on the bottom of the railing, kicking the red, paint-chipped metal posts, challenging them to fall apart. They were always this loose and rickety, ever since he could remember.

"Have you ever heard of Obito Uchiha?" he spoke quietly, sending his foot harder to the railing.

Sasuke looked over with a scoff. "Of course I have."

Naruto blinked slowly and emotionlessly. "So you know what happened to him?"

"Vaguely," Sasuke responded. "Only bits and pieces. Only what my older brother told me. He said I was too young to know all the details about it."

Naruto laughed laconically. "You probably are. So am I," he said amicably. His lips turned downward. "He's the worst person I've ever heard of."

Sasuke looked over at him quizzically. "Worst person? Do you know more than I do?"

"I know everything," Naruto told him. "He befriended an ANBU agent-"

"Kakashi Hatake."

Naruto was surprised Sasuke knew which one. He continued anyway. "He's not just any ANBU agent, though. He's a close family friend. He's my father's apprentice. He's like an older brother to me. And he was betrayed by Obito."

"_Betrayed_?"

"Yeah," he confirmed with a grave expression. "And when Kakashi confronted him about it, they fought and Obito blinded him. He drove a knife into his eye. To someone he called his friend he-" Naruto stopped talking. He felt his blood beginning to boil and took a deep breath. Sasuke stared at him watchfully. He reached out to touch his arm and offer him some sort of solace, but quickly retracted, deciding it was unprofessional of him to do so. Naruto looked down at the ground and never at Sasuke's direction.

"I don't know if you're all like that," he spoke softly. "If all Uchiha's are the same, I mean. But I hope not. Because I'm hoping that you and I - if you stop kissing me all the time - could be something like friends."

Sasuke looked at him in shock. "Naruto-san, I-"

"I don't want you to keep calling me Naruto-san. I don't want you to keep standing outside of doors and not eating with me or talking to me or looking at me. Maybe you want to be professional, but that doesn't mean we can't be civil with one another, right?"

"Naruto-san..."

"But I don't know if I can trust you. I know all too well what happened to Kakashi and-"

"Naruto-san!" Sasuke gently pushed him to gain his attention from his monologging. "That isn't what happened to Obito at all!" He rolled his eyes with some sort of amused look on his face.

"Excuse me?"

Sasuke laughed uncomfortably. "Obito and Kakashi were lovers, not enemies. They covered it up as friends because it's forbidden for Uchihas to fraternize while on-the-job, which is where they met," he told the blonde. "The clan always forbids unprofessional behavior while on duty and when they found out, they were going to execute Obito _and _Kakashi. Kakashi is a powerful and well-known ANBU agent. They were afraid he was just a spy out to gain secrets about the clan. Obito tried protecting Kakashi and even offered him his left eye after Kakashi was blinded. He was forced to lie to the entire Uchiha clan and say that it was a completely one-sided love affair and that Kakashi had no idea what was going on, so that the clan would spare his life. They took out Obito and left Kakashi alone."

"That's such a lie," Naruto argued. "None of that ever happened."

"Yes it did," Sasuke replied in a sing-song voice. "Like it or not, that is exactly what happened."

"I don't believe you," Naruto rolled his eyes. "I'm trying to make a fucking truce with you and you're too busy trying to rewrite history over here."

Sasuke laughed. "You're out of your mind," he giggled. "Is that why you're so against Uchihas? Don't believe every story you hear, Naruto-san."

"That was told to me by ANBU agents! ANBU agents that know Kakashi personally as well as professionally and nothing you just said ever happened!"

"It's all hearsay," Sasuke was still chuckling to himself. He waved Naruto off with a limp arm.

"it's just as much hearsay as your story is," Naruto defended.

"My clan is the one who killed Obito," he reminded Naruto. "My father is the Head of the clan, remember? He was at the trial that was held for Obito. And he wouldn't lie to Itachi about the details. If he didn't want his own firstborn child knowing about it, he would've just kept quiet." Naruto refused to listen to reason. In fact, he had completely tuned out Sasuke. "Trust me, it was a major humiliation to the whole clan. My father wouldn't have made that up," Sasuke mused. Personally, he found the embarrassment weighing down his clansmen funny - but maybe that was because he was too young to understand the gravity of what Obito's actions had done to their reputation.

"I don't wanna talk about this anymore," Naruto rubbed his temples. "Forget I mentioned it."

"We'll have to agree to disagree," Sasuke quipped with a devilish smile.

"Deal," Naruto replied. "Now let's go home." Sasuke nodded in agreement and the two headed for the elevator shaft. "Oh, by the way," he said with a mischievous crooked smile. "I don't have a driver's license."

* * *

><p>Naruto rolled over in his bed. His room was hotter than normal. He had a ceiling fan oscillating, a window open, and only his bed sheet covering his half-naked body; it wasn't enough to stop his dry sweat, though.<p>

He curled his nose into the crease of his elbow and buried his head into his shoulder. All night he was provoked with thoughts of Kakashi and Obito. It made looking at Sasuke hurt. That kiss made looking at Sasuke hurt, too. But it was stuck on his mind. He couldn't help the millions of questions floating up into his mind. He wanted all the answers.

What if Sasuke was telling the truth? What if Obito had been trying to protect Kakashi? If Kakashi was traumatized by finding out his lover was killed because of him, that would be a damn good reason to stay silent. If Kakashi was traumatized by the situation in general that would be a good reason to keep quiet also.

Naruto respected Kakashi. Naruto loved Kakashi. As a child, he modeled himself after the young adult; he was cool and suave and powerful and, for a while, Naruto even debated enrolling in the ANBU Academy to study under the same practice as Kakashi. The Hatake was the closest thing Naruto had to a hero. So if Kakashi felt it was necessary to bend the rules and blur the lines between the ANBU and the Uchiha, why couldn't Naruto? Although this was the path less traveled, he knew and respected someone who had ventured there before. He knew and respected someone who opened up to an Uchiha and allowed himself to be swooned by the charming white smile and mysterious dark features. So why couldn't Naruto be an exception to the rule as well?

But that was only if Sasuke's claim was true.

But what if it wasn't true? What if all of the rumors milling around the ANBU headquarters are the real story? Then Naruto shouldn't even be trying to befriend Sasuke. It would mean Sasuke is playing him like a deck of cards. It would mean he's sleeping with an enemy only a few doors down from his own bedroom.

And if it _was _true, what Sasuke says, then why was he trying to pursue Naruto? He w_as _trying to pursue him, wasn't he? He had to be. He had kissed him again, and this time he didn't even have a reasonable excuse. In fact, he didn't use any excuse. He kissed Naruto because he wanted to - that had to be the reason. But he said Obito's actions were critically humiliating to the entire clan. So much that Obito had to die because of it. If it was that embarrassing, why was Sasuke even entertaining the idea of pursuing him? It was dangerous. It could (and would, evidently) get him killed off by his own family.

Naruto flopped over on to his back. A bead of sweat dripped down his forehead and onto the bridge of his nose before he swiped a dry, clammy hand across his face, erasing the drip. He left his hand covering his eyes.

He wished Sasuke would stop kissing him. It was making it a whole lot more difficult to figure out what was going on when he was throwing himself at the Namikaze whenever he felt the desire to. Didn't he have any manners? Naruto was the real deal; he was superior to this fledgling. And he was killing him with kindness. He was dying over here! He was confused and flustered and angry because he was so confused and flustered by the Uchiha. He didn't want them to stop communicating but he didn't trust his "Obito" story and he definitely didn't want them to keep kissing like that (did he?). Naruto became even more confused and flustered, making him even angrier at himself for being even more confused and flustered.

But Sasuke was charming. And deadly. And _gorgeous_. And a hit man. And he liked guys. And he might just like Naruto. But he was a born and bred killer. And he was close to perfect. And an Uchiha. And when he smiled Naruto couldn't even remember his own name, let alone remember how to function.

Naruto flipped over to his side. It was nearing 6 a.m., which he recently deemed as the appropriate time to give up on trying to sleep and start his day. He dragged the dry sheets over his damp chest and sat up, his legs dangling off the side of the bed.

As he got up and headed to the bathroom to take a cold steam shower, he decided that he only had two answers to his multitude of questions. One) he really wished he had never met Sasuke and two) falling in love was the most miserable feeling in the world.

* * *

><p>Yay! There you are! It was super super late so I made it a little bit longer than usual to appease you readers :)<p>

Hope you enjoyed! Please review! I love hearing from you guys, truly.


	7. Fate's Palette

Hello folks!

I'm looking forward to this chapter especially, and I'm sure all of my fellow NS addicts are also looking forward to the chapter, so I won't keep you any longer.. (:

* * *

><p>Chapter Seven: Fate's Palette<p>

"Here's everything you need to get," Jiraiya handed Sasuke a small, yellow parchment paper with a list of different beverages to purchase. "Thanks for going on the coffee run this morning," he added with a smile. Sasuke, who only offered to run Naruto's errand for him so that he could explore the city some more, nodded in reply and said he would be back within fifteen minutes.

Jiraiya watched Sasuke exit the gallery, the wind chimes by the door tolling as the door shut behind him. With a proud smile, Jiraiya watched his silhouette disappear around the corner.

"He's a good guy," Jiraiya told Naruto, who was busy wiping down the windows.

"Hn," Naruto responded, focusing a little too closely on the stubborn smudge of red paint on the glass. He dug the wet cloth into the smudge using his fingernail, refusing to be defeated by something so miniscule.

"Thank goodness you've relaxed a little bit since yesterday," Jiraiya continued. "You were being a brat." Naruto finally removed the paint splatter from the window. He grinned triumphantly and checked out his squeaky clean reflection, throwing himself a dashing smile. "You seem much brighter today, though."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Naruto agreed with his godfather, ruffling his blonde locks with his fingers. For whatever reason, his cold shower that morning induced sleepiness. After getting out of the shower, Naruto went straight back to bed, getting four hours of well-needed sleep. Maybe Jiraiya had been right; maybe Naruto _had_ just woken up on the wrong side of the bed yesterday, seeing as his energy was far more lifted today. Or maybe it was because his plea for Sasuke to be amenable to friendship seemed to have worked; the bodyguard was far more open and friendly towards his client today.

Naruto gave up on trying to figure out what was going on within his own mind. His cold shower cleared his brain of the infinite headache over all of his questions and he went to sleep deciding to allow whatever needed to happen, happen. That's not to say he believed Sasuke's Obito story, or that he liked when Sasuke kissed him because both of those statements weren't completely true. But he decided that since he didn't know everything, he couldn't knock anything either. He still didn't know much, in reality. He _did_ know that Sasuke seemed to react positively towards his new mindset, though, which made him more positive in return. As much as he dug in his heels and told himself he hated the Uchiha around, he had to admit it was nice to be on good terms with the black-haired male.

"So what had you so peeved?" Jiraiya asked him, sorting through some 6x6" canvases in a wicker bin. "It's not because I've been neglecting you, is it?" Typical Jiraiya, always assuming everything in Naruto's life was about him. "I mean look, I love Sasuke but you'll always be my number one youth, you know that right?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I'm not jealous of you and Sasuke," he said apathetically. Truly, he wasn't.

"Well," Jiraiya smacked his lips. "If anything _is_ the matter, you know you can tell me, right?"

Naruto scratched his neck in indecisiveness. He wanted to fill in Jiraiya on his current state of mind, but truthfully he wasn't exactly sure what that mindset was. All he had debunked was that he knew nothing. Besides, he wasn't so sure he wanted to vocalize his problems right now anyway.

Naruto stopped washing the windows. "I don't know," he mumbled, trailing off. "It's this whole art gallery opening thing, I guess."

"What about it?" Jiraiya asked curiously. "Are you upset that Sasuke's painting a portrait for it and you're not?"

"This isn't about Sasuke," he whined. "Not everything revolves around that guy, you know."

Jiraiya shrugged. "Well it seems like it," he protested innocently. Naruto cocked an eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing," Jiraiya backed off with a nervous chortle, noticing his godson's hasty reaction to that comment. "It just seems like you think about Sasuke a lot, that's all." He smiled warmly, but it didn't cool off the blonde at all.

Naruto huffed. "Well this isn't about him. It's about the art gallery opening," Jiraiya's eyes fluttered, waiting for Naruto to continue. "I don't know...I'm just regretting asking Sakura to be my date is all. I'm not as into her as much as I led her to believe, I guess."

"Because you like Sasuke?"

"What?"

"Oh, sorry, I thought that's where this is going," Jiraiya replied nonchalantly. He threw his hands up in defense of Naruto's icy stare.

"I told you this wasn't about Sasuke!" Naruto complained. Maybe he wasn't sure where exactly he and Sasuke stood at the moment, but he knew he was getting sick of people telling him that something was going on between the two of them. No one knew better than Naruto that something was definitely _not _going on. "It's about Sakura! I hate dating in the first place! I should've just invited Kiba or Shikamaru or someone to come hang out with me. Now I'm stuck going on a date again."

"Well what's wrong with dating?"

"I hate it," Naruto reiterated. He sprayed a cleaning fluid on the glass windows and began wiping them down.

"Are you sure you're just not dating the wrong people?"

Naruto whipped around to face Jiraiya. "Stop implying things."

"I'm not implying anything," Jiraiya's grin said otherwise. Naruto scowled at the artist.

"Then shut it, I don't need your opinion anyway," Naruto grabbed the dirty, damp sheets of paper towels and the spray bottle and trudged them behind the back counter, throwing them into a cabinet beneath the cash register. "You asked me what had me upset and I told you."

"Uh huh," Jiraiya's smile stayed the same.

"Cut it out!"

"I didn't say anything!"

"Like you had to? I know you well enough to hear your unspoken words, you know," Naruto responded harshly. "This isn't about Sasuke. Sasuke can do whatever the hell he wants. I don't care."

"Well, see, that's just it," Jiraiya replied quickly. "You never care about anything - but you seem to be caring a lot right now. So I have to believe that it's care over something important. You've always hated dating, but that's because you don't care about it. So why would you all of the sudden start caring about some girl you're taking to a gallery opening?"

"Because I'm not interested in leading her on. She has scary eyes like Granny Tsunade. Imagine breaking up with her - you'd get killed. Sakura gives off the same vibe."

"Girls are all scary, kid," Jiraiya said. "So if you're trying avoid someone scary, maybe you'd be better off with someone with a different pair of eyes. Someone like-"

The gallery doors swung open and Sasuke reentered the art room with a paper tray full of three cups of coffee. Jiraiya's face was covered in a fallacious smile and he suggestively wriggled his eyebrows at Naruto, who responded with a punch in his godfather's side.

* * *

><p>Sasuke pulled the blue bandana over his forehead, pushing the hair from his eyes and tucking them behind his ears. It had been a week since Jiraiya first forced a blank canvas on Sasuke and told him to paint something, and finally the painting supplies the artist had promised him had come in the mail. Sasuke was still frantically unsure of what exactly to do to Jiraiya's prized possession, but he had less than two weeks until the gallery opening, so it was time to begin trying.<p>

He dragged the large 10x3 canvas across the floor and rested it against a wall. Naruto okay-ed the use of the back room (coincidentally the same back room Jiraiya had destroyed and Naruto had paid to get fixed) to be his painting room. He folded his legs and flopped down in front of the long, white board. He didn't even know where to start.

The piece had blue marks of oil paint dragged across the canvas horizontally. Jiraiya hadn't the slightest iota of clue of what those navy streaks once were, and Sasuke didn't have any idea what they should become, either. In retrospect, he was a bit aggravated at the old man's forced suggestion for Sasuke to complete the painting. Sasuke didn't have an artist's eye, nor any sort of background at painting. This was going to be a disaster.

Sasuke took the ceramic painter's palette from a cardboard box Jiraiya had labeled "Sasuke's Paint Stuff" and squeezed generous drops of each color into the tiny inlets on the tray. Step one of preparation: complete. Step two of painting: incomplete. Sasuke let out a quick, exasperated sigh. He had a genuine fear of screwing this up.

He took a thick paintbrush from the cardboard box beside him and dabbed it liberally into the black paint. He tilted the brush towards the canvas, closer...closer...

"Getting anywhere?"

Sasuke jumped at the unepexcted voice, dropping the paint brush on his pants. He scowled down at the mess.

"I _was_," he muttered, disgruntled. Naruto strolled over, his hands in his pockets. He had the hood of his gray sweatshirt pulled far over his head, covering his eyes from Sasuke's view. He had headphones on, blasting some sort of loud, electronic music, with only one piece in his ear and it's match dangling from around his neck. He stared blankly at the canvas before turning his gait towards the window. He opened it and sat down on the windowsill and lit a cigarette.

"You smoke too much," Sasuke commented.

"Yeah," Naruto agreed, a careless expression on his face. "But it's rare for Kushina to be away for so long. I'm just taking advantage of my time while I can."

Sasuke thought it was rude of his client to refer to his mother by her first name, but let it go silently. He took a rag cloth from the cardboard box and wiped the paint off of his pants, which had already been stained with the black oil paint.

"You know if you completely trash that painting Jiraiya will never forgive you, right?"

"I know that," Sasuke snapped back, surprising Naruto. He had never noticed any fire in the Uchiha's personality before. Usually he was just well-mannered and compelling - never rapturous. It piqued his interest. He watched quietly as Sasuke took a deep breath and dipped the paint brush back into the black cup of paint on the palette. His hand unsteadily hovered a few centimeters away from the canvas.

"Are you _nervous_?" Naruto mocked with a snort. "It's just a painting!" he tried to muffle a laugh, but Sasuke shot him a red-eyed glare anyway, his hand still shakily levitating before the white board.

"I'm not nervous," Sasuke lied. "I'm focusing."

"Do you need help?" Naruto was still smiling wildly.

"Not from you!"

"Oh come on," Naruto slid off of the window pane and tapped the butt of the cigarette on it, putting out the fire. He brushed the ash off of the sill and hid the cigarette behind his ear. He crawled over towards Sasuke, who recoiled immediately. "I've painted before. It's not that hard."

"Well then I _know _I can do it," Sasuke muttered. Despite his reluctance, his fingers allowed the Namikaze to pluck the paintbrush from his grasp. Before Sasuke could stop him, the black paint was thoughtlessly smeared onto the canvas.

"Hey! What are you doing!" Sasuke clutched his wrist, halting Naruto's painting.

"What?"

"What do you mean 'what'? This is _my_ painting," Sasuke tried to pry the paintbrush from Naruto's hands with little success. Naruto's hands were big and strong and he was sitting stoically and unwaveringly as Sasuke used half of his might to pry the brush away from him. Naruto wasn't even trying and he was still stronger than him.

"You were looking at it as if you saw the face of death. You'd still be sitting here just staring at the canvas if I hadn't done something," Naruto replied harmlessly. He noticed that Sasuke gave up on trying to take the paint brush from him. He slumped over, pouting, causing Naruto to smile. He had never seen Sasuke hopelessly defeated, either. That too piqued his interest. It was sort of...cute.

Without thinking, Naruto gingerly brushed Sasuke's hair out from his face, tucking the paint brush behind his ear. His fingers lingered on his silky black strands. They felt softer than Naruto imagined and his hand ended up sliding to the back of his head, grasping as much of his black tresses as possible. Realizing that he was touching the Uchiha, his arm recollected, his hand landing gently on his muscular and slender shoulder. Sasuke's dark eyes slid to the corner of his face.

"What are you doing," he asked monotonously. His voice was clear and careful. Naruto blushed fiercely and pulled his arm back into his lap. Sasuke didn't wait for the reply he knew wasn't coming. He took the paint brush out from behind his ear and began painting, finishing the stroke of black that Naruto had started moments ago.

Naruto felt his stomach ignite from the touch. It was instinct that began stroking Sasuke's hair; he had never planned to. He felt like the biggest idiot. That was too much interaction. He feared that Sasuke would react by pushing him away again, returning to his oath of silence while body-guarding. He instantly regret the moment of touch.

"So what was this streak of black supposed to be exactly?" Sasuke asked Naruto casually. Naruto wanted to kill him for the amount of casualness in his tone. He was acting as if that never happened - and Naruto, in the back of his mind, wanted that instant to be realized as something that happened. Although it mortified him to touch Sasuke, he wanted Sasuke to believe it was real. He had _touched_ him.

Naruto cleared his throat and blinked awkwardly. "I was thinking it could be a sunset," his voice came out raspy and quiet, like a whisper. "The blue that Jiraiya painted sort of takes up the entire middle of the canvas, so I was thinking it could be the sun right before it's out of sight on the horizon," he said. Sasuke nodded in reply.

In truth, he was inwardly shocked at Naruto's insight on the painting. He had never even thought of that. It was so artistic of him. It was impressive. But he had just crossed a line, so he would not be receiving any kind of open respect from the Uchiha.

"You know, you never answered my question," Naruto told him, awkwardly trying to change the subject.

"What question," Sasuke sighed uncomfortably, his hand continually stroking the black paint on the canvas. He didn't want to talk to Naruto right now. He wanted to maul him and have sex with him and then kill him for touching his hair and his shoulder and since he could not do that, he didn't consider them on speaking terms. Didn't he remember that Sasuke was gay? An attractive blonde who knows that Sasuke is gay should _not _be running his fingers through his hair or feeling up his shoulder. It was dangerous and insulting and it was threatening to Sasuke's willpower - he was only a man, he couldn't control himself at all times. Surely Naruto had to know that. Surely he should understand temptation.

"When I asked you in the elevator at the Hokage's Monument - I asked why you'd be willing to go to Jiraiya's art gallery opening with a girl," Naruto elaborated. Sasuke's painting ceased. He gave Naruto a dirty look from the corner of his eye.

"Why wouldn't I be willing to? It isn't as if Jiraiya knows that I'm not heterosexual," he replied coolly. "I don't think it's particularly smart of me to waltz around telling people that in a place like this."

"In a place like what?" Naruto asked.

"Like Konoha," Sasuke said back. Naruto raised an eyebrow, puzzled. Sasuke licked his lips. "Well clearly this isn't the friendly kind of place, now is it?"

"What are you talking about? Konoha is super friendly. I don't get what you mean," Naruto questioned.

Sasuke groaned audibly and put the paint brush down. "I'm not an idiot, Naruto," he quipped. "Clearly this isn't an open and safe place to announce that I'm into guys. Based off of your reaction when I told you, it's obvious that that kind of behavior isn't acceptable around here."

Naruto stared dubiously at the dark-haired male. "What the hell? Nobody cares if you're gay, you're absolutely crazy if you think that," he responded. "Konoha is a great, friendly place. Don't be dumb."

"Well then why do _you _have such a strong opinion about me liking guys?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto swallowed. "Who said I do? I don't care if you're into guys or not."

Sasuke let a crooked grin creep onto his face. It was a smile of relief; all this time he had believed that Konoha would judge him. He was extremely pleased to know that his inquiry was wrong. It made him feel much more comfortable residing there.

"That's good to know," he admitted dreamily.

"Well, good, glad to hear it," Naruto deadpanned, the slightest bit of patriotic offense taken by Sasuke's assumption. "So you'll tell Jiraiya you don't need that girl date, right?"

"Wrong."

"Wrong?"

"Wrong," Sasuke smiled.

"Why wrong!?"

"Because it's not as if I hate girls or something," Sasuke stated. "I'm just not attracted to them." He took another brush and dipped it into a dark gray. His confidence in front of the canvas was elevating. Seeing Naruto's strong reaction and brilliant idea of a sunset helped calm his nerves. He could definitely complete this painting now. "I've taken girls out before. Plus this is just a one time thing, so it's not like I'm bothered by hanging out with a girl all night. It beats going by myself. And Jiraiya has already made the arrangements; it'd be rude of me to bail out now," he added.

"That's not the point," Naruto didn't listen to any explanation Sasuke gave. "You don't like dating girls so you shouldn't go with one."

"Well who else would I go with?" Sasuke asked. He looked over at his client coyly. "_You_?"

Naruto's complexion instantly flushed three shades brighter before he had the chance to save face. He tugged impolitely at his sweatshirt and redirected his embarrassment into anger.

"I'm going with Sakura, you already know that. And I don't like guys, which you also already know."

"Why don't you just save us both some time and admit that you don't actually want to go with Sakura," Sasuke said wistfully. The dark gray on his paint brush was mixing well with the blue and black on the canvas and he was happy with the outcome so far. "Or better yet, just grow a pair and ask me to go with you instead."

Naruto viciously knocked the paintbrush out of the Uchiha's hands, the brush gliding across the blue and black and making a mess of the canvas. It fell to the ground and the paint splattered on Sasuke's pants and on the tiled floor he was sitting on. Sasuke emotionlessly looked down at the paint drips across the white tile.

"You really need to control your emotions better," he told Naruto. Naruto threw his strong fist into Sasuke's jaw, knocking him over. He instinctively leapt at his bodyguard. Sasuke lifted his feet up and kicked Naruto back. He stumbled to his feet in time for Naruto to grab him by the waist and violently slam him into the wall, his head cracking against it. Sasuke blinked a few times, trying to refocus his eyesight, but it was no use. He was dizzy and felt as if he was going to throw up. His vision was blurring and all he saw was Naruto's fist being reaimed at his face. Sasuke crouched down as Naruto swung and his fist slammed into the wall. He let out a yell of pain and Sasuke slipped out from under his grasp.

Naruto whipped around, writhing in pain and frustration.

"What is your problem?" Sasuke asked, infuriated. He stumbled back, his head and his view still spinning. He felt the thumping pang at the crown of his head where his head hit the wall.

"My problem?" Naruto breathed through his grit teeth. "You're my problem!" He staggered towards the Uchiha, who backed up messily with each step that the Namikaze took towards him. "You're the most narcissistic little punk I've ever met. Not everything's about you, you know!" He lurched forward to grab Sasuke, who diligently moved out of the way. The quick movements disrupted his blurring eyesight and he fell to the floor drunkenly. "I hate you!"

"Well get over it," Sasuke shouted. He was breathing heavily as well. "You only have two more weeks with me so just suck it up. You'll never see me again after this month is over and you can go about your life happily."

"You're not going anywhere," Naruto responded. He dragged Sasuke by the shirt, lifting him up off of the ground. Sasuke elbowed the back of Naruto's arm in a pressure point, causing him to release his grasp on the Uchiha. Sasuke fell to the ground and felt his ankles shake under his weight being dropped so carelessly. He elbowed Naruto again in the back of the neck, which sent Naruto to the floor. He scrambled up to his feet, vindictively shoving Sasuke back against a wall. Sasuke grabbed him by the strings on his sweatshirt and wrapped them around his fist, securing Naruto from escape.

"Let go of me," Naruto said straightly. Sasuke stood still and confidently, glowering deeply at his client. He was a brute. He had unattainable brawn and a temperament to fight anyone. He was an idiot. He also had a jagged scratch on his cheek that was threatening to bleed.

Sasuke hadn't obeyed Naruto's stern command, but he never asked him to again. He met the Uchiha's vermilion glare with his inability to back down. In actuality, it'd be simple for him to push Sasuke's hand away from him and break free. But in retrospect, it wasn't that simple at all. Sasuke, although easily dealt with, was not. He had Naruto wrapped around his fingers and, as Naruto watched as the Uchiha literally did so, realized that sad, true fact. Sasuke's eyes, although aggravated by Naruto's aggressive behavior, also had a white glint of longing.

"You know, Naruto-san," he said softly. Naruto looked away and straightened up at the sound of his chiming voice. The relaxed tone caused him to stop towering over his bodyguard and holding hostage against a wall. In return Sasuke let go of his ties with him. "I lied to you on that first day together," he admitted shyly.

"When? About what?"

"When I said I found you unattractive," he whispered. Naruto met his gaze. "You are _very _attractive."

Naruto's heart sank out of his chest and he felt his lips go dry. It was relieving news - so relieving, it was also like shock, as if he had just been gut-punched. He couldn't respond thoughtfully. He had nothing to say. All of his sleepless nights mindlessly wondering and hoping that his stupid gay Uchiha of a bodyguard would for some reason, in some light, find him attractive - and all for naught. Naruto looked down, trying to collect any type of functioning pattern. Swiftly, he looked up and backhanded Sasuke across the face, right over his freshly-recovered split lip. Sasuke kept his face turned from the impact and felt the slightest bit of warm liquid on his lip that he quickly licked away. After a few moments he leaned back and rested his head on the wall behind him.

That wasn't necessarily the reaction he was expecting.

He looked up at his contributor with apology.

"It's too late to say shit like that," Naruto murmured. Sasuke didn't realize until he turned his head just how close Naruto was to him. Naruto was by his profile, whispering in his ear. "It doesn't matter to me anymore. I'm already here."

Sasuke grabbed on to Naruto's neck and pulled his jaw to his. Naruto welcomed his mouth this time, wrapped his strong arms around Sasuke's shoulders and kissed him back. His lips pressed hard and eagerly against Sasuke's and his heart rate was rapidly rising. Sasuke's arms flailed to wrap around the Namikaze's waist and he clutched onto his empty belt loops, pulling him closer, groin to groin. Naruto let a breathy moan escape as he distastefully licked Sasuke's front teeth. Sasuke suspected that Naruto would be a bit whorish about kissing, and was almost pleasantly surprised to know his assumption was right.

Sasuke cupped Naruto's face between his hands, his fingers dancing between his thick blonde locks. He felt like clutching on to the client and grasping him harshly to make sure he never went too far, but the moment he felt his nails dig into the boy's skin he released his grip and hugged him instead.

Naruto drenched Sasuke's lips and chin and jaw in kisses, never coming up for air. He noticed the hot density in his crotch rubbing against Sasuke's inner thigh and grabbed tighter to Sasuke's shoulders. He opened his mouth wider as each kiss came, and short, near-silent moans escaped his throat each time. Instinctively, his mouth began moving down towards his neck, sucking the skin underneath Sasuke's jawline. He ran his hand through Sasuke's soft, wispy hair and aggressively bit down on his neck, before showering him in apologetic kisses.

Sasuke was clutching fiercely onto Naruto, pulling at the fabric of his sweatshirt, trying to keep him closer and closer. As shivers ran up his spine from the wet, kissing sensation on his neck, he thew his head back farther and felt his his hand creeping towards Naruto's lower waist. Naruto's kisses began aligning back up towards Sasuke's face, making a break for his ear. He breathed heavily into Sasuke's eardrum, making Sasuke's senses go wild. His hand balled up into a fist, forcefully grabbing his sweatshirt. The hand nearing his lower waist dropped to the front of his pants, his fingers crawling up Naruto's thick thigh. Naruto swung his arm around Sasuke's hips and kept them firmly pressed together, making Sasuke's insatiable appetite for closeness complete.

Their lips met each other once again, and Sasuke wasted no time in slicking his tongue into Naruto's mouth, which opened wide and welcomed it. Naruto lovingly bit down on the Uchiha's tongue before his danced over it and smashed into Sasuke's with powerful strokes. Sasuke felt his stomach implode and his chest filled with the butterflies his belly could no longer hold. His hand instantly crept upwards, unbuttoning Naruto's shorts and climbing in. Naruto's hand immediately grabbed his, their kissing at a cessation.

"I'm not into that," Naruto whispered strongly.

"You don't even know," Sasuke chuckled nervously. He was full of hot, pumping blood and all of his veins were coursing. He was ready to burst, and he needed Naruto to feel that way too. "You've never tried it."

"And I don't want to," Naruto defended lightly. "Can't we just stick to kissing?"

Sasuke pushed his arm out straight, leaving distance between their bodies.

"Can't you just admit you like it? Can't you just admit that you like _me_?"

"Why are you being so difficult?" Naruto groaned loudly. "We were having fun!"

"I'm not being difficult, you are." Sasuke refused to back down.

Naruto wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his sweatshirt, offending Sasuke as he wiped away all of his kisses. It was a sign of treachery that didn't go unnoticed, nor did Naruto intend it to.

"Don't make this something it isn't," Naruto shortly shook his head in passive warning. He backed away from Sasuke so that his palm wasn't pushing his chest away.

"Then what is it?" Sasuke implored. He felt his dizzy head fill with frenzy. Just when he thought he was getting somewhere... Just when he had made the biggest and most inappropriate move of his career, Naruto backs away, all in vain. He felt all of his blood rise to his brain, pounding loudly on his skull. He abrasively pulled his hand through his hair, inadvertently knocking the bandana down from his brow.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "You sound like a girl," he meant for that to sting.

"I don't understand why you're acting like this," Sasuke fought back, knowing he had already lost the battle.

"Ditto."

Sasuke crossed his arms and slumped back down into the wall. He looked away, longing for his painting. For that moment when the only thing weighing on his mind was doing the painting justice and making Jiraiya proud. He should have known Naruto would still be his typical asshole-self; after all, he couldn't help it. That's just who he was: selfish and self-gratiuitous. He didn't care about Sasuke - all he wanted was a quick fix. And Sasuke had given it to him. He caved in and he was the only one to blame. And at work, no less. Sasuke shut his eyes in shame. He was wrong - Naruto wasn't the idiot. It was him. This was what fate had aligned all this time and it was always right in front of him. He was only lying to himself, believing Naruto would somehow be different for him.

"Maybe you were right," Naruto spoke. Sasuke hadn't realized Naruto was now near the doorway, halfway out of the room. His hand was resting steadily on the doorknob. "Maybe you should just work in silence and we should go about our days separately."

Sasuke licked his dry lips and nodded in reply. "Sounds good to me," he mouthed. No voice came out of him. Naruto hovered in the doorway for a few more moments, before exiting the room and shutting the door behind him. Sasuke slid to the floor, still mindlessly staring at his painting. At their painting.


	8. Naruto's Colors

Hello everyone! Thank all of you so so much for reading and reviewing! I really do appreciate all of the feedback and love you guys are giving from this story. I'm glad you're all enjoying reading this piece because I'm actually very excited about writing it for you all :)

Anyway, there were a few similar comments or questions in your reviews about last chapter concerning Naruto and Sasuke's fight. A couple of you said it seemed odd that Naruto seemed so dominating in their fight and, since more than one person commented on that, I've decided to respond. As I've aforementioned in previous chapters whenever Naruto gets a little feisty and starts trying to fight Sasuke, Sasuke has zero interest in fighting with Naruto. He's Naruto's _bodyguard_ he literally cannot fight back, he can only defend himself. It would be against Sasuke's code of conduct to be the one inflicting his client with pain when he's been hired to defend Naruto. So when they do fight, Sasuke isn't trying to hurt Naruto back, he's just trying to get the attacks away from himself. I'm sorry if it seemed as though the tables were turned...I assure you that they weren't. Naruto is used to brawling and is a strong, tough guy in this story. Sasuke is well, Sasuke. Also as I've aforementioned in previous chapters, most of his missions are investigative assignments. He isn't normally out in combat, he's gathering intel or scouting and so forth. Battles aren't his forte. Having said all of this, I will try to make that more clear if they ever are to cross fists again (*coughcough*) (:

I think that's the biggest author's note I've ever written so on that note, let's get back to the story!

p.s sorry it took so long for me to update!

* * *

><p>Chapter Eight: Naruto's Colors<p>

Naruto laid on the couch in the den of his bedroom. His feet were crossed and propped up by a pile of limp pillows. One arm was resting behind his head, the other dangling off of the couch. That hand had once been holding a video game controller, although it fell from his grip some time ago and was now laying on the floor, vibrating every few minutes to remind Naruto to shut off his game. He wasn't paying any attention to the controller, however. His gaze was on Sasuke, who was in his bedroom, packing his suitcase.

He had been at it all morning, doing laundry, folding clothes, preparing to leave and never come back. And Naruto had been watching silently. He saw all of it, like a nightmare he couldn't wake up from.

He had almost three weeks left in Konoha. Barely two weeks had passed since his arrival. Naruto never realized how short months were until he saw Sasuke come and go before his eyes, like a quick, transparent flash or a comet in the sky: temporary. Naruto never realized that Sasuke packing up would become the bane of his existence, either. But here he was, silently writhing in internal (and slightly self-inflicted) pain as he watched the Uchiha silently fold a gray t-shirt and tuck it into his black leather bag.

Maybe this was all his fault. Maybe Sasuke was joyfully counting down the days to leave Naruto and never see him again. After all, he _was_ preemptively packing his suitcase. Who packs up weeks before their departure? Someone ready to leave as soon as possible. Maybe the thought of that made Naruto writhe even more.

Naruto decided to stop torturing himself and rolled onto his side. He focused heavily on the neon colors of his video game screen, trying to block out the dark raincloud looming over his bedroom. He hated this. He hated Sasuke. No he didn't. He just hated him for wanting to leave.

It was only yesterday afternoon that their relationship came to a climax - and then an instant drop. Naruto spent the rest of the day locked in his bedroom and, unlike every other time Naruto locked himself away from his bodyguard, Sasuke didn't try to force his way in. He didn't use the master key Minato had given him. He didn't use a defiant kick to the door to open it. He didn't come rescue Naruto from himself. Naruto slept well that night, much to his chagrin. It upset him that he could so easily fall into sleep when Sasuke was so far from him, just a few doors away.

But isn't this what he wanted? In reality, yes. This is everything he wanted. His main goal was to drive Sasuke out of his house for good - he had set his ambitions on making sure Sasuke was more miserable than he was. He hated Sasuke when he first met him. He was charming and he smelled good and he was masculine and could easily destroy Naruto if he so wanted to. But he didn't. He wanted to get to know him and make friends with him. And for a while, Naruto wanted that too. But then Sasuke got himself lost in the city on a Friday night and he forced Naruto to care about his wellbeing. That moment of thoughtless care created a domino-effect. He let the Uchiha get in his head and think and feel things he had never thought of or felt before, or even desired to think or feel, for that matter. And then he kissed him. And Naruto had to pretend he didn't consider liking it. He had to pretend he wanted to galavant around Jiraiya's art gallery with some crazy-eyed girl whose last name he could barely remember. And then it escalated. Sasuke got sassy and irreverent and he treated Naruto like a normal person instead of Minato Namikaze's son or some juvenile delinquent. And Naruto liked that. And he felt understood by someone. And then Sasuke asked for more. And that terrified him.

Sex? Naruto had only had it twice, the first time him being drunk and too stupid to say no. The second time was to right his wrong for the first time. Regardless, both times were with a woman. And he liked the girl's dark, silky hair and her waist and her soft lips. But Sasuke had all of that as well. And he wasn't drunk. And he wasn't a female. And he was a _guy_.

Naruto wished Sasuke would stop packing up. He wanted to punch him. Didn't he know he was just creating turmoil for his client? Wasn't Sasuke's job to protect Naruto? He was the only causing him any troubles.

Naruto reluctantly pulled himself up off of the couch he had been drooping into for the past three hours. He silently made his way out of his bedroom, down the stairs, and out of the house into the gray, misty cloud looming a few feet above the ground. The air was moist and thick. He pulled his hood over his head and shoved his hands into the pouch on the front of his sweatshirt. He had slept in the clothes he wore yesterday. That was partially due to laziness, although the idea of washing clothes Sasuke had so desperately clutched onto in their moment of kissing certainly played a large part in Naruto's decision not to change, as well.

Naruto breathed in the sticky, deoxygenated air. Okay, so he liked kissing Sasuke yesterday. And although it scared him to make any type of advancement farther than just hooking up with the Uchiha, he had to admit (at least in his own mind) that the idea was...appealing. A shiver crowded over all of Naruto's body.

He liked it.

He liked kissing Sasuke.

He liked Sasuke? No - too far, even in the safety of his own thoughts.

He couldn't admit that, liking a guy. He was a man, after all. He was supposed to be brawny and brash and misunderstood. He liked playing the role of the sulky, aloof heir of the Hokage chair. It aroused him, along with the attention of every other citizen of Konoha - which he liked. It made him feel distinguished, which he also liked. Then again, he also liked that Sasuke didn't see him like that. Sasuke saw him for what he was - a 22-year-old bum with a bad attitude. And he wasn't afraid to tell it to his face, either. That took a lot of guts to stand up to Naruto like that. And he respected Sasuke's efforts.

Naruto walked around the large cul-de-sac of his neighborhood. It was hardly a fair-looking walk, seeing as all of the houses in the neighborhood were similar to his own: private and hidden behind vine-covered stone walls and large steel gates. He felt the air sticking to his dry skin and dampening him, making him feel heavy and sweaty. Grass blades were drooping under the humidity of the fog cloud rolling over them. Naruto headed back to his own home after several minutes had passed. Although he suspected Sasuke wouldn't follow him out of the gates, he was also disappointed. He wished the Uchiha would show some sort of care for him anymore - or at least stop packing his bags.

Naruto bit his lip. He couldn't blame Sasuke for not wanting to do his job anymore. How could he? He was difficult and he led him on and then he pulled away. But he couldn't blame himself, either. No one had the audacity to ever even try to stir up feelings inside of him, let alone actually succeed at doing so. It was the path less travelled: many had tried, and all had failed.

But he liked it.

He liked kissing Sasuke.

He liked Sasuke? Maybe. The secrecy of his own mind was pressing the issue, but also warning Naruto not to acknowledge such feelings. He had seen from watching his friends just what those feelings do. They make you fall in love and walk around with hearts in their eyes forevermore. That's what happened with Shikamaru when he met Ino Yamanaka, the daughter of one of Minato's investors. That's what happened when Jiraiya met Tsunade, as well. They were all happy with their relationships, but also had no freedom. No space to run free and do whatever they want. Actually, now that he thought of it, Sasuke already keeps him on a short chain; he already had no room to roam wild. What would be the difference? Sasuke wouldn't get a paycheck? It'd last longer than a month? Possibly. But Sasuke would't even look at him, currently, let alone even consider dating him. He had ruined his chances. Even if he admitted to himself that he liked Sasuke, what would it change now? Sasuke hated him. He opened up to him and put his career and his reputation on the line and Naruto blew him off in a moment of fear. Sasuke would never try to buddy up to Naruto ever again. The window of opportunity was shut.

Naruto rapidly pounded his finger on the buzzer outside of his home's dark iron gate, waiting for one of the hired help to ring him in. He heard the staticky ding and the large gates slowly opened. Naruto strolled inside and the gates shut behind him almost immediately.

Did he want the window of opportunity to be closed forever? Naruto couldn't be sure in that moment that he had feelings for Sasuke. What he could be sure of, however, was that no, he did not want the window of opportunity to be closed forever. So he'd have to reopen it. Even if he had to pry it open, or break in to open it, or kill a man to open it, Naruto was going to make it his mission to get Sasuke back. He had to find out if he liked the bodyguard and he couldn't do it without an act of kindness.

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><p>Sasuke heard the front gate shut heavily and he peeked his neck out the window. Naruto's gait was striding down the long stretch of the driveway, back towards the house. He hadn't even heard him leave, which concerned him. How long had he been out for? Where did he even go? Sasuke could have sworn Naruto was still staring him down from the couch in the den.<p>

The sky outside was a dark gray and the ground was blanketed in a thick, misty fog. Sasuke hadn't even realized the change in weather; he was certain that it was sunny out when he first woke up that morning.

Sasuke's view lingered on the disheveled silhouette of Naruto's. He was wearing the same ensemble he had on yesterday. Sasuke was fairly sure he had slept in those shorts and sweatshirt.

Although Naruto's posture was seemingly lower and his aura more phlegmatic than normal, Sasuke tried his best not to wonder why. He was done with trying to figure out what ran through the 22-year-old's mind; he was impassive and impersonal and confusing. Sasuke was one of the top investigative Uchiha's within the clan. He could make anyone crack - except Naruto. He had no idea what had the contributor so solemn but what he knew positively was that it had nothing to do with him. Sasuke recently realized that he never crossed the Namikaze's mind. He was just an accessory. Like a dollar bill he could throw around and be fine with loosing because he had millions more where that came from. He didn't matter at all to Naruto.

Sasuke sighed loudly, almost enjoying the tranquil relaxation of knowing he wasn't being watched anymore. A part of him knew it was his job to be following Naruto to make sure he didn't get into any trouble. The other part of him - the part he was siding with - wanted to be as far from him as possible. The past three hours of being watched from the den felt like prison. It was as if Naruto was_ encouraging_ him to leave and never come back. He was daring him to pack up and leave that very day. The ocean blue glare from Naruto's eyes made Sasuke feel more unwelcome than he had ever felt before. He always knew Naruto wanted him gone, but he never believed it until that morning.

Sasuke stared sadly down at his suitcase. He didn't even need to be packing. He still had a few weeks here, anyway. But he wanted to go. He didn't want to finish his mission. It wasn't for him. He realized that yesterday, when Naruto left him against a wall yearning for his lips back. He couldn't complete this assignment. He desperately wanted to contact his father and ask to be reassigned; but he knew he'd need a good reason. Falling in love wasn't a reason that would cut it with his dad. He was placed on this mission and returning home with it incomplete would only result in cruel punishment.

Sasuke lifted the pile of folded t-shirts out of his suitcase and unzipped a dark, hidden pocket at the bottom of the leather suitcase. He pulled out the file kept within the bag and skimmed through it, reading over the assignment details. His fingers loitered on the page with Naruto's criminal record on it. His mug shot was paper clipped to the top of the page. Sasuke stared somberly at the photo before shutting the file and shoving it back where it came from. He threw his neatly folded t-shirts back over the compartment and threw the suitcase to the side, messing up his hours of hard work and organized shirts. He flopped face-first onto his bed, burying his face into his arm. Moments later he rolled onto his back, staring up wantonly at the blank white ceiling. He heard the first drops of rain hit his windowsill until a steady drizzle began falling. The front door of the manor slammed shut. Naruto was back inside.

Sasuke scrunched up onto his side, facing out the window. He watched the dark grays and light, grayish blue tones outside rumble over the earth. The colors reminded him of the unfinished, untouched, canvas resting up against the wall of the back room down stairs.

Ah, yes. The painting. He'd have to finish that at some point. Probably sooner than later. He felt his eyes drooping from a wavy boredom and, not yet ready to face the blank canvas and colorful palette that awaited him downstairs, let them shut lightly, promising himself he'd finish the painting after a quick sleep.

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><p>Naruto pulled his arm back and stared intently, examining each detail with a deeper attention than he's ever paid anything in his life before. It was night, and Naruto's legs had gone stiff from sitting on a tiled floor for multiple hours at a time. But it was done and he felt accomplished. It had been a long time since he painted anything, and the sensastion was gratifying and made him happy. It made him even happier to think about Sasuke's face lighting up when he saw such a masterpiece.<p>

"What are you doing."

Naruto whipped around in surprise. Sasuke was standing in the doorway, an aggravated expression gracing the delicate features of his face rather than the brightened face Naruto was hoping for. The Uchiha's hands were dug into his pockets and his shoulders were stern and held back straightly.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he muttered in reply, a tad bit embarrassed that Sasuke caught him in the act. How did he stroll in without Naruto noticing? He had half of a mind to believe the Uchiha was a ninja of some sort.

He wanted to surprise him. He wanted Sasuke to walk downstairs and see a completed canvas and be enthralled by it. He wanted Sasuke to take the canvas as a truce and as Naruto's silent apology for treating him like shit the past few weeks. But now he's been caught in the middle of his apology, and the receiver doesn't look to be in the mood to receive the apology.

"It looks like you're finishing _my _painting," he responded icily.

Naruto touched up the black paint in a spot. "I knew you were stuck," he said simply. "I was just helping."

"You've helped enough." Naruto had a feeling Sasuke wasn't talking about the painting. Sasuke strut over to the Namikaze and clipped the palette out of his hand. Naruto allowed him to do so with little fight in his grip. "Your godfather asked me to finish it, not you," he told him. Naruto's brow furrowed.

"You're welcome," he said sarcastically. He stood up face-to-face against the Uchiha. "Like I said, I was just trying to be helpful."

"I didn't ask for your help."

"Can't you just be a gentleman and say thank you?"

Sasuke scoffed loudly. "As if you know anything about being gentlemanly?" Naruto frowned. This was not the reaction he had anticipated - or planned for. He felt his temperature rise, but tried to keep calm, knowing that he deserved any cold shoulder Sasuke wanted to throw at him. After all, it was barely 18 hours ago when he stranded Sasuke in the middle of kissing. He knew he didn't even deserve Sasuke's voice directed at him but, still... he didn't enjoy Sasuke's lack of appreciation. It took hours of labor to finish the large canvas.

And the canvas was beautiful - after the dark streak of gray painted soiled any hope of a sunset, Naruto transformed his idea into the night sky, revealing a harvest moon behind lightly ominous clouds and leaves blowing in a light, crisp breeze. It was saturated in dark blues and oranges, but the overall painting was very light and relaxing. It was better than anything Sasuke could ever paint, and maybe even Jiraiya. But Sasuke wouldn't admit that. He refused to even look upon the canvas and acknowledge the painting on it.

For a long period of time, the two boys stood almost nose-to-nose, scowling at one another. No words were exchanged, although in Naruto's mind he had already beaten the Uchiha to a pulp, gone to prison for it, and then came out repenting and possibly asking for his hand in marriage, to which - naturally - Sasuke would say yes to, because who wouldn't want to marry Naruto? In Sasuke's mind he was no where near the Namikaze; he was running back to the clan territory with his tail between his legs, swearing to himself that he would never think of the blonde-haired boy ever again or else he'll end up with the same fate as Obito Uchiha.

Sasuke flipped out the palm of his hand, silently commanding Naruto to hand him the large paint brush he was so desperately clutching onto, the wood handle ready to snap under his strong fist. Naruto stared at him challengingly before he lifted the paintbrush and slammed it onto the boy's hand, dark paint splattering on Sasuke's arm. A few minuscule flecks of black landed on Sasuke's cheek.

"Sorry," Naruto mumbled, before turning away, his pace slow and steady.

"You did that on purpose!" Sasuke flung the paintbrush at the back of Naruto's head. The brush swung across Naruto's golden locks, leaving a streak of black paint. Naruto dragged a fist through his hair before whipping around to see a small smile on the bodyguard's lips. "That's for getting paint on my face."

"Whose the child now?" he spat.

"Still you," Sasuke smirking arrogantly, causing Naruto to sneer bitterly in reply.

"Don't piss me off," Naruto warned with a breathy, tense laugh. "I'm trying _really_ hard to be nice to you today. So don't piss me off."

"You're trying to be _nice_ to me?" Sasuke said in a mocking tone. "If this is your idea of nice, you're failing miserably."

Naruto's fists instinctively balled up. He covered his face with his fists and breathed deeply before deciding to let it go. He turned back around to leave and made it halfway out the door before he felt a palette smack against his back and fall to the floor behind him. He looked down monotonously. Paint was splattered on the tile by his feet and he wasn't in much of a mood to see what the back of his sweatshirt looked like. He looked up tensely at Sasuke.

"That's for finishing my painting for me."

Naruto picked up the palette. "You're being real immature right now, Uchiha," he noted. Sasuke was nearly beaming at his work. He seemed very proud to have tainted the back of Naruto so well.

"No," Sasuke responded. "You've already used up my canvas. I have to paint on something, don't I?"

"So you chose me?"

He nodded with a chuckle.

"You're scaring me, quit smiling," Naruto grimaced at the proud smile his cohort was wearing. "It's creeping me out."

"I'm surprised you haven't tried killing me yet, truthfully."

"I'm restraining myself greatly, trust me," Naruto said back. "And if I hadn't stolen this sweatshirt from Shikamaru I'd be real pissed about it."

Sasuke sent an amused expression in reply.

"You could've just said thank you like a normal person, you didn't have to paint on me, you know."

"I'm not thankful that you completed my painting, though," Sasuke hopelessly looked down at the finished canvas. "I was looking forward to painting it. I wanted to see how far I could stretch my imagination."

"Relax, it's not the Mona Lisa, it's just for Jiraiya's gallery opening. Don't take everything so seriously."

"You're the one whose upset about a little paint in their hair," Sasuke toyed.

"I believe you're the one who avenged a few drops of paint on your face by throwing a palette at me, are you not?"

"I avenged my painting, not my face."

"Liar. I bet you're super conceited when no one's looking," Naruto looked him up and down. "With that pretty face? I bet you're obsessed with yourself secretly."

"Who said it was a secret?"

Naruto chuckled in reply. Sasuke was still sporting a small smile, but it wasn't out of amusement over their competitively playful banter. He was irritated, truly. He was irritated that Naruto would take his painting and finish it just to get all of the glory for himself. He was irritated that Naruto thought he wouldn't be able to finish the painting. He was irritated that Naruto was being so nonchalant, acting as if nothing happened between the two of them. As if Naruto hadn't rejected him after kissing him so desirably. As hard as Sasuke tried to accept the fact that Naruto was just selfish with his emotions, he couldn't help but be bothered by it. He cared enough to be irritated by the Namikaze and, even with paint in his hair and on his sweatshirt, Naruto didn't even bat an eyelash back at him. He didn't like this playful banter. He didn't like caring about someone while knowing that that same someone wouldn't think twice about him.

Naruto gazed at the Uchiha for a few moments longer. He was twiddling the painter's palette between his hands, his stride halfway out the door.

"I'm gunna order some dinner later. Do you want any?" he asked casually. Sasuke looked away, disappointed in the amount of monotony in the the blonde's tone.

"No," he said quietly. Sasuke turned his face away, waiting to hear Naruto's loud gait walk away from the back room. Moments later he felt the dizzying slam of the palette hitting him in the back of the head. Sasuke whipped around angrily.

"That's for ruining my sweatshirt," Naruto quipped with a ruthless smile. "I lied, it's not Shikamaru's, it's mine. And it's my favorite."

"You're incorrigible!" Sasuke shouted. Naruto wasn't sure what that word meant, but based on the tone Sasuke used it with, he had to assume it was pretty bad. This made him smile triumphantly. He stuck his tongue out at the Uchiha, who glowered in resistance. "Go away!"

"It's my house," Naruto mused. He ducked in time to miss a loaded paint brush flying towards his face. The brush hit the door and slid to the floor, leaving a trail of blue paint behind it. Naruto stared at the mark on the door.

"Wow, you really do suck at painting," he joked.

"Shut up," Sasuke folded his arms in frustration. Naruto picked up the paint brush lying on the floor and walked over to Sasuke.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today," he said with a whimsical smile.

"Someone woke up on the crazy side of the bed," the Uchiha replied under his breath. "What's your issue?"

"What's my issue?" Naruto laughed. "You're the crazy one here, not me. All I did was try to be nice by finishing your painting, and now you're trying to kill me with paint brushes. You're my bodyguard, aren't you supposed to protecting me?"

"Like I said, I didn't ask for your help on the painting. It was mine to complete."

"Just say thank you," Naruto deadpanned, his voice turning serious. Sasuke, with his arms still crossed, leaned his back against the wall behind him. Naruto was standing in front of him with a straight face.

"Just leave me alone," Sasuke matched his tone.

Naruto snorted. "Leave you alone? Yesterday you were all over me and now you want me to go away?"

Sasuke's eyes widened in anger. His former irritation was now completely driven out by rage. "Yesterday _you _were all over me and then _you _went away! What do you want from me? I can't read your mind! Don't start making out with me, tell me you don't like me, and then try and get back on my good side by finishing a painting I didn't want you to touch! It doesn't work that way!"

Naruto stood in silence at the Uchiha's reply. He opened his mouth to speak several times, but words never came out. Not the right words, at least. He looked at Sasuke, whose exasperated gaze staring down at the floor. His hands were tightly gripping the arms crossing over chest. He looked extremely uncomfortable. Naruto didn't realize that Sasuke's feelings were genuinely hurt. He assumed the Uchiha hated him, but he didn't realize he also cared about hating him.

"I'm sorry," Naruto whispered silently. He tried to do more than mouth the words, but no voice would back him up. He felt his lips go dry and he slid his tongue over them for what felt like forever. Nothing worked; his mouth was like a cotton ball and his voice refused to participate in such a sentence. Naruto began to feel the same stress that Sasuke's face was sporting. He knew his words would fail him if he tried to speak again. He took a step closer to him, and instantly regret it. He was in the Uchiha's personal space now. It was too late for him to back out and he had no time to overthink his next move, either.

Naruto's hand slid over Sasuke's shoulder and behind the nape of his neck. Sasuke looked up, surprised at the touch, in time for Naruto's mouth to be closed over his. Sasuke immediately put his arm on the Namikaze's chest and pushed him away, holding him by the folds of his hood to keep him at bay.

"What are you doing," he said softly.

"I was trying to kiss you," Naruto replied stupidly. He felt his cheeks rise with a flush. Sasuke evaluated him from an arms distance away for quite some time.

"Well," he swallowed dryly. "You can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because."

Naruto ignored the Uchiha's declination. He swatted Sasuke's grip off of his sweatshirt and folded back into his arms and kissed him again, his mouth open and his tongue harboring a desire for Sasuke's. This time Sasuke didn't reject his offer. He strapped his arms around Naruto's broad shoulders and pawed lightly through his blonde hair. Naruto pulled his slender body off of the wall he was against and wrapped his arms around the small of his back, holding him tightly. They kissed once, and then broke apart as quickly as they came together.

"Why can't you just admit that you like me," Sasuke said interrogatively. "You like me. Just say it."

"No," Naruto scoffed in relucatance. He nuzzled his nose into Sasuke's chin before Sasuke's turned his face away, pouting his lip cutely and making Naruto smile in the process.

"Say it."

"Get over yourself," Naruto began kissing his jaw lightly, sending an immediate reaction coursing through Sasuke's groin. Sasuke pushed his face off of him.

"Say it." Naruto and Sasuke stared at one another competitively. Naruto wouldn't take his eyes off of him - in reality, he couldn't. But it was enough of a distraction to keep Sasuke from demanding Naruto to talk about his feelings. "Don't try and compete with me in a stare down," Sasuke warned warmheartedly, a tone of seriousness catching Naruto off guard. "I win at everything."

"You haven't won against me," Naruto challenged.

"I've already won," he replied. "Just admit it."

"I plead the fifth."

"Don't make me laugh."

"I'm not joking."

"I like you too, you know."

Naruto blinked upon those words and looked away sheepishly. Sasuke accepted Naruto's silent admittance and leaned in for a kiss, which Naruto welcomed handsomely. He grabbed on roughly to the shirt on Sasuke's back and held him against the wall. Sasuke slipped his hands up under Naruto's arms and held onto the boy's chest. Sasuke's lips left Naruto's and scavenged for his ear, blowing lightly into it, causing a shiver to trace through Naruto's spine and release a light moan from his throat. Sasuke nibbled lightly on his earlobe as he gently scratched through his golden locks. He swept the Namikaze's balance out from under him and shifted the boy's body against a wall, now pinning him. Sasuke's tongue glided down Naruto's neck and he sucked wetly on the skin of his collarbone. Naruto resistantly threw his hands onto Sasuke's forearms and squeezed tightly, although never pushing him away.

Sasuke sucked wistfully on Naruto's collarbone for several moments before thankfully kissing the sensitive spot when he was done. His lips slid up to his jaw, his warm breath giving Naruto cold chills. Sasuke's soft lips could only kiss his jawline once before Naruto violently grabbed the Uchiha's chin and shoved his lips back onto his.

Naruto's knees were collapsing from the tingling sensation racing through his veins and the hardness growing in his pants. Sasuke ended up lying on his back on the floor with Naruto kneeling over him, his face never more than centimeters from his companion's. Naruto pinned Sasuke's arms back and wrestled with him for dominance before Sasuke gave up and accepted defeat. Naruto's mouth shamelessly supped onto Sasuke's, his tongue scraping into the Uchiha's mouth and over his straight, slick teeth. Sasuke's knees bent up and he tightened his muscles, holding Naruto's hips and keeping his body hostage on top of his, although Naruto wasn't in any way defiant about the position.

"Naruto," Sasuke whispered through quick, short-lived kisses. Naruto couldn't force himself to stop to answer Sasuke's enchanting voice. Sasuke caught him in mid-air, cupping his jaw in his strong, slender hand. "Naruto," he repeated. The two gazed at one another for a short moment before their kissing continued, this time with a strong force coming from both of them.

Sasuke rolled over Naruto's body and laid on his chest, his lips never leaving the Namikaze's face. He grinded his pelvic area over Naruto's and Naruto flinched in a wild sensation and breathed enjoyably, craning his neck back, giving Sasuke the opportunity to kiss his neck. Naruto groaned muscularly before his visceral reaction pushed Sasuke's shoulders away. Sasuke tried hard not to budge and he threw his fingers between the boy's and pushed in resistance, keeping Naruto's reflexes from stopping him,

"Don't stop," Naruto whispered coarsely. Sasuke understood the overwhelming desire to not only continue indulging in the sensation but also to keep himself from becoming more vulnerable than his body already was. Naruto was new to this, and, although Sasuke was leaving little room to think about things, respected his natural fear.

Sasuke dug his crotch farther onto Naruto's, one leg in between Naruto's and the other straddling his thigh. Naruto slammed his foot into the ground, hot and bothered. Sasuke heard a glass jar break and new instantly that Naruto's involuntary movement just broke open a jar of paint that was on the floor. He ceased grinding into Naruto and looked over at the red, conglomerated paint, thickly and slowly pouring onto the tiled floor. Naruto moaned and sat up, mindlessly searching for Sasuke's face back.

Sasuke put his forehead on Naruto's and let the Namikaze cradle him on his lap. He let the blonde-haired boy sneak in a few more kisses, most of which completely missed his lips.

"Alright, fine," Naruto said quietly. "Maybe I have a little bit of a crush on you."


	9. Now and Forever

Hey y'all! First and foremost... THANK YOU ALL FOR HELPING ME REACH OVER 100 REVIEWS! You have no idea how happy it made me to log in and see that on my profile page! You're all amazing, I dedicate this chapter to everyone reviewing (: This is going to be one of those chapters for the heavy NaruSasu fans...it's the beginning of why this story is rated M, if you catch my drift (;

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><p>Chapter Nine: Now and Forever<p>

"A _little_ crush?" Sasuke repeated, running his fingers through Naruto's scalp and receiving a sheepishly pleased smile in reply. Naruto leaned in and rested his head on Sasuke's shoulder, still holding him captive on his lap. Sasuke stroked his hand over the boy's head a few times before feeling the hard clumps of paint conglomerating in the back of his hair. Sasuke leaned over with a sigh and looked at the streak of black acrylic on the back of the Namikaze.

"Did I really get that much paint on you?" he asked in some apathetic form of disbelief.

"Yes."

"Sorry," he chuckled. He wasn't as sorry as he said he was. "I owe you one, I guess."

"Oh?" Naruto perked up. "How are you going to repay me?"

Sasuke pursed his lips. "It's just a saying. I'm not doing anything for you," he told him sternly, arching his neck as Naruto's brusque lips made their way down the Uchiha's jawline. "So quit trying to butter me up."

"I'm not doing anything," he laughed innocently, wrapping a tendril of Sasuke's bangs around his index finger. He gingerly pushed the fringe behind Sasuke's ear and kissed his open cheek. Using the point of his nose, Sasuke pushed Naruto's jaw upward to meet him face-to-face. Sasuke greeted him with a kiss, his lips open and his tongue spilling into Naruto's mouth. Naruto grabbed Sasuke's thighs tighter and the bodyguard inched his torso closer to Naruto's, their groins close together.

Naruto broke apart in mid-kiss. "You really did ruin my favorite sweatshirt though," he reminded his watchdog. He felt the back of his sweatshirt, the cotton stiff and hard from the paint smeared across it. "You owe me some sort of compensation."

"Take it out of my paycheck," Sasuke whispered, less than a millimeter from his ear. He blew lightly into his eardrum and Naruto's shoulders crept up into his neck out of instinctual reaction to the bodily sensation.

"I prefer instant gratification, though," he whispered back, holding Sasuke by his neck. He kept his face inches from his own and surveyed over him again and again. His smooth, ivory skin...his warmly dark and calculating eyes...that glisteningly white crooked smile that was charmingly creeping over his soft, pale, pink lips. "You're something, you know that?" he told the Uchiha. "You're so perfect you're almost ugly."

Sasuke smirked in slight offense. "Wow, you really know how to sweet talk someone," he rolled his eyes. Naruto burst into a short laughter.

"Sorry," he laughed. "It was supposed to be a compliment." Sasuke grunted in response before abruptly kissing Naruto's lips and springing up to his feet. Naruto's lap felt empty and lonely the moment the Uchiha was gone and he pouted in a rebuttal. Sasuke smiled nicely and outstretched his arms to help up Naruto. Naruto latched on and got onto his feet, nearly dragging Sasuke back down as he did so.

Naruto looked out the window. He hadn't realized just how late it had gotten since he first came into the room to paint. It felt like moments ago, but the sky was dark now and the massive amounts of puddles sprawled across his patio and backyard said that hours had passed by. The rain was still pelting down quickly, tapping repetitively on the windows in quick, short drops.

"What time do you think it is?" Naruto looked curiously out the window.

"It was close to eight when I came down," Sasuke said with a stretch of his back. He cracked his neck subtly and eyed Naruto's work on his painting. "Jiraiya will be so proud," he said of the filled canvas. Naruto looked at the board, inspecting it from afar for the first time. He had to admit, he outdid himself with this one.

"He doesn't have to know it was me," he smiled at Sasuke.

"It's better than anything I could do," he admitted in reply. "I guess I owe you for saving me on this, too. If I had touched it, the whole thing would be in the trash by now."

"You owe me big time, then," Naruto cocked his neck and smiled handsomely at the Uchiha, who turned away to hide a flush. Naruto's starch white teeth against his tan skin was...captivating. Moreso than Sasuke usually saw. Maybe it was because Naruto was being genuine with his smile for the first time. Maybe it was because Naruto hides his genuine charm behind layers of bullshit and a spoiled temperament. Maybe it was because Sasuke was too busy swooning to even think straight anymore.

"How should I repay you, then? If you don't want to take it out of my paycheck, I mean," he said coyly. Sudden pangs of enjoyable anticipation shot through his inner thighs. He shoved his hands in his pockets and pinched his leg to keep his mind off of all of the ruinous ways he was planning on mauling the virginal homosexual. Naruto took the hint and smiled crookedly in response.

"I can think of a few things," he said. "But first things first: I need to shower." He tugged ruggedly at the paint clumps in his hair before stretching his arms over his head and ripping the dirty, painted sweatshirt off of his back, accidentally pulling up his shirt in a chain reaction. He quickly yanked it down, but moments after Sasuke could get a fast view of his sculpted abs.

"I'll be out soon," Naruto chuckled embarrassedly and walked out of the room.

"I'll be waiting," Sasuke replied quietly, moments after the Namikaze left. Naruto was too far up the staircase to hear his words.

-NSNSNSNS-

Naruto turned the faucet and watched as steam spooled out of the shower and filled his bathroom, almost instantly fogging up the mirror of his bathroom. He slid a damp hand over the glass and ripped his shirt off, inspecting himself.

He did a few quick turns in the mirror to glance at every angle of his body. It wasn't too bad. In fact, Naruto thought it was pretty damn good. Definitely above average. He wasn't quite sure exactly what would happen between him and Sasuke now that their feelings were put out on the table, but he wanted to make sure he was prepared. In a whirlwind of dizzying emotion, Naruto quickly tried to calculate just how many guys he assumed Sasuke had been with. Sasuke was good looking. _Extremely _good looking. He probably had only been with the cream of the crop. He was used to the best. Not only that, but he was one of the best. He was exceptionally dashing. He was polite and smart and handsome and powerful. Naruto couldn't expect Sasuke to settle for anything less than perfect, seeing as he was more than perfect. In that moment of thought, Naruto scoped himself out and became frustratedly abashed and insecure with his being. What if he wasn't good enough? He was great amongst Konoha standards, but that's because he was Minato Namikaze's son. Sasuke was _not _a citizen of Konoha. He was worldly. He knew far more than what the average Konoha citizen knew. He was an _Uchiha _- and he didn't care how much weight Naruto's last name carried. What if he didn't see him as something great? The idea terrified Naruto.

He let the mirror fog up with moist air. He didn't want to look at himself anymore. He may be open to the idea of getting physical with Sasuke, but maybe the lights should stay off for their first encounter - if it were to ever happen, that is.

Naruto tucked his foot into the shower before adjusting the water temperature and hopping in. He dunked his head under the running water and leaned the crown of his head against the tile, allowing the steady flow of water to drench his hair and loosen up all of the hard paint. He watched as the dying paint streaks filled up rivers of water falling from his arms and turned them dark. After a few moments he lathered his hand with shampoo and scrubbed the rest of his hair clean, the foamy suds becoming a grayish hue.

Naruto breathed loudly through his nose and began cleaning the rest of his body, scrubbing each limb until it was pink and raw. Soap may not do him justice. He was always just 'sort of clean' - certainly never as clean as Sasuke was. The thin layer of film over his skin was something he didn't ever want his Uchiha counterpart to see firsthand. It would have to go.

After washing his body, Naruto stood still, letting all of the soapy clumps wash off of him. He watched motionlessly as they crowded around the drain, fighting about which sudsy puddle would be the first to go down. Naruto stared blankly at them as they wrestled their way down the drain and disappeared.

Just then two hands softly crept around Naruto's chest and hugged onto him tightly. He felt a taller, wet body close to his and immediately flipped around and skidded away, clumsily slamming his back to the cold tiled wall of the shower.

"Wh-What are you doing!" he exclaimed. "What are you naked for!?" he looked away, mortified. His arms jumbled around to hide his body parts.

"As if you don't know what a guy looks like naked?" Sasuke quipped. He placed a hand on his naked hip and smirked wildly at the Namikaze. He had never seen the boy so flustered - except for the first time he kissed him when they were in the limousine together - but this what far better, seeing as now he was wet and naked.

"Yes, I know what men look like naked, I am one, after all," Naruto replied quickly, his tongue tumbling out nearly-indistinguishable words. The warm water felt like lava over his hot, bothered skin. He looked deeply into the soul of the shower curtain, refusing to look over at the Uchiha. He was too ashamed to have the Uchiha see him naked, and he was far too terrified to know what he looked like naked. Probably god-like.

"Well I need a shower, too," Sasuke continued.

"This one's occupied," Naruto muttered. He heard Sasuke take a step closer to him and he scrunched up his eyelids, refusing to acknowledge his presence. Moments later a hand was cupping his jaw and pulling his face forward. He felt Sasuke's wet lips crush onto his own and he intuitively wrapped his arm around Sasuke's. He didn't dare touch any part of him but his arm. As ready as he thought he was, he repeatedly told himself not to touch any part of Sasuke that he didn't have access to when they were both clothed.

Sasuke pulled away and rested his nose on Naruto's, slightly nuzzling him. Naruto blinked a few times and examined Sasuke's face.

"You look clean to me. Get out."

Sasuke took a step back and crossed his arms, insulted. "Will you relax? It's fine. You've been through prison, I think it wouldn't kill you to take a shower with someone," he said pointedly. "It saves water, after all," he added with a michevious smile. For once in his life, Naruto didn't trust that sly little smile. It was from a mouth of lust and dead ends. "Besides, you told me you wanted payment, right?"

Naruto breathed audibly and turned around, pressing his body against the wall. The damp tile was freezing compared to the hot water pouring down from above, but anything felt better than facing a naked Uchiha. His peripheral vision taught him enough about the male - he really _was_ god-like.

"You have a nice ass." Naruto whipped around embarrassedly, grabbing the shower curtain and pulling it around his bottom half. Sasuke chuckled and watched as the blonde did so.

"Do you mind?" Naruto exasperated. No where felt safe to him.

"Nope," Sasuke laughed. Out of a petrified politeness, Naruto only stared at Sasuke's eyes, and made particular note to keep his attention averted from the rest of him. He didn't need to look at the rest of his naked body to know that it was perfection. Of course it was - it was Sasuke Uchiha, after all. He was standing casually as if he were walking through a park in the summertime rather than standing naked in a shower, facing off with an equally naked Namikaze heir. He was _too _confident. His nonchalant self-acceptance made Naruto feel even further reduced in his esteem.

"You're being very impatient you know," Naruto bit, his voice in a slight panic. "I was almost through in here."

"I'm not here for the shower, though," Sasuke replied simply-put. He began slowly stepping towards Naruto. He tried to back away, fisting a bunch of the shower curtain in his balled-up hand, but was already pressed against the wall. Sasuke met him, his body inches from touching the Namikaze's. His nose softly danced over Naruto's chin and lips and nose, before planting his lips on the blonde's.

Sasuke did well to respect Naruto's fearful boundaries, but a strong part of him want to ravage the boy in that shower. Naruto heartily kissed back, biting Sasuke's lip and sucking him into his mouth. He let go of the shower curtain with one of his hands and dragged it through Sasuke's thick, wet hair. Sasuke kissed him repeatedly on the mouth, trying to tease Naruto, but in the end it only teased himself. His fingers gently strode down Naruto's arm, tickling his nerves. He twirled his fingers around the boy's hand before gripping on tightly and forcing him to drop the shower curtain from his body. Naruto hesitantly complied with a gruff moan.

Sasuke pulled away and stared closely at Naruto's face. He groggily cupped his chin and pushed his jaw with a delicate force.

"Stop eye fucking me," Naruto whispered in a murmur. Drops of water from the shower head poured down over his face, his eye lashes heavy and blurring a portion of his vision. But he could see Sasuke. Nothing was going to keep him from seeing Sasuke anymore.

"I don't even know what that means," Sasuke scoffed in reply. He began kissing Naruto's jawline and down towards his neck. Naruto lifted up his jaw to give the Uchiha room to do so.

"You're undressing me with your eyes," he explained.

"You're already undressed, loser," Sasuke continued to kiss Naruto's collarbone. Naruto was grasping onto his back, clutching on for dear life as if Sasuke would disappear if he loosened his grip even a little bit. He breathed loudly with his mouth open and succumbed to the nice feeling that was Sasuke sucking on his bare, wet skin.

"You know what I mean," Naruto snapped, his voice quiet and gentle. His muscles were flinching from Sasuke's mouth on him, as if the butterflies in his stomach were flying all over his body and congregating wherever the bodyguard's wonderful lips landed. He dropped lower than his collarbone and began kissing Naruto's chest. His tongue slid around his nipple before he began kissing his stomach. Naruto noticed the male falling farther and farther onto his knees, but it never occurred to him that he was still naked. That they were both naked. That they were showering together. That they were hooking up - and that he loved it.

Sasuke's hands were wrapped around Naruto's bare thighs. He was lightly sucking on the blonde's upper hip, his mind racing with warnings. Naruto didn't want this. He was accepting it because it felt good, but Sasuke knew Naruto didn't want this. The last sexual advancement Sasuke made, he was shut down immediately. When Sasuke stepped into the shower, he was terrified instantly. Naruto was new and uncomfortable. He was fresh meat to the Uchiha. And as hard as he was trying to settle himself down and keep calm, the temptation of the Namikaze's gorgeously sculpted, naked, wet body before him was too difficult to resist. He was trapped between his desire and his mind. He kept kissing the boy, his lips furthering down. Sasuke was firmly kneeling on the floor now, mere inches away from Naruto's member.

Naruto jolted Sasuke from his concentration as he grabbed a fistful of hair on the crown of his head. Sasuke looked up at Naruto, who was staring down with a serious expression on his face.

"Don't even try it," he warned.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You don't even know what I'm going to do."

"I'm straight, I'm not an idiot. You know girls can give oral sex too, right? It's not an exclusively-gay sort of thing," he responded sassily. Sasuke shook the Namikaze's hand out of his hair and kissed his inner thigh. Naruto's knee cranked up from the touch of lips so close to his crotch, and he was forced to put effort into not accidentally kneeing his bodyguard.

"You've never even had oral," Sasuke muttered, kissing his thigh again.

"How do you know!?"

"I'm not stupid, Naruto-san."

"Don't call me 'san' when you're this close to my junk. It's improper." Sasuke snorted upon hearing Naruto's newfound attention to etiquette, and nibbled on his inner thigh. Naruto stayed silent after that, keeping a reluctant look on his face, his insides growing hot with anticipation. He secretly dared Sasuke to do it. He had done it before, which bothered Naruto, but he put that aside and tried to enjoy it, daring Sasuke to do it to him now.

Sasuke sucked heavily on Naruto's soft, vulnerable thigh, leaving a dark purple spot. He kissed it rapidly a few times in some misplaced apologetic love. His hand slowly crept towards Naruto's shaft before he dove in, grasping it firmly. Naruto took in a large breath as Sasuke's thumb and index finger wrapped around his penis. His hand clutched back onto Sasuke's hair out of a need for some sort of moral support. Sasuke, although hating his hair being grabbed so brutishly, allowed him to get his anxiety out of the way.

Sasuke kissed around his member in a clockwise motion, his nimble fingers motioning his shaft up and down lightly, allowing the virginal oral sex recipient to get used to the feeling. Naruto's knees were vibrating, his fists balled up so tightly his veins were increasing. Sasuke shifted his hand ever so slightly so that his mouth could kiss from the root of his member all the down his shaft. His hand clasped back around it and Sasuke licked the head, causing Naruto's hips to twitch forwardly.

"Sasuke," his voice in a terrified warn.

"Get over it," he muttered between kisses. "I'm an expert at this, I know what you'll like."

"Did you just admit to being a slut?"

Sasuke ignored his rude commentary and kissed the bottom of his penis before sucking lightly on his sac. Naruto violently jolted forward with a groan of hesitant pleasure. He stamped his foot down in the water, a puddle splashing up onto Sasuke's already-drenched body. He barely even felt the water. He barely even recognized that they were in a shower. He was focused. He was kissing Naruto Namikaze - and not just on the lips. He was a lucky gentleman by his own personal standards. And while he was confident in his own abilities to pleasure his suitors, kneeling in the presence of someone who had the ability to capture his interest so quickly was an incredibly daunting and new experience for him.

He left Naruto's sac after sliding his tongue over it a few more times, and wrapped his lips around Naruto's head. Naruto's back arched immediately with an incredulous moan, the fists in Sasuke's hair tugging, making Sasuke subconsciously wonder if he was going to go bald after this encounter.

"Sas...ke." His warn was non-threatening and barely heard. Sasuke lifted his shaft up and down slowly, his speed inching a bit faster each time. He sucked hard on the head, his tongue liberally lapping up over tip of it. Naruto was muttering some sort of Hail Mary under his breath, his grip pulling hard on Sasuke's hair and his legs straining to keep himself up. His muscles were tender and weak from working to not flex and swoon from Sasuke's gentle touch and open mouth.

Sasuke increased how fast his hand moved Naruto's shaft, and his mouth sucked hard over the tip, cleaning up any of the salty fluid that was accidentally spilling out from predetermination. Naruto moan audibly, his thighs closing in tightly on Sasuke's torso to keep him steady, pushing him away when the pleasure was too much, but pressing him close to his body when he craved even more. Sasuke wrapped his free arm around the Namikaze's meaty leg before Naruto frantically found it and held it, their fingers frustratedly intertwined. Sasuke felt as though Naruto was going to rip off not only his hair, but now also his hand, and sucked harder out of a slightly spiteful rage. Naruto let out an aggravated moan as his legs gave out. He pushed Sasuke away and slid down to the ground, his back to the wall. Sasuke repositioned before finding Naruto's member again and sucking hard. Naruto's hands returned to Sasuke's hair and free hand. He exhaled pleasurably, every so often his eyes rolling to the skies out of a disbelief that a man could make him feel so good - no, amazing.

Sasuke peeled his hand away from Naruto's and lovingly wrapped it around his waist. Naruto looked down and studied Sasuke as he worked. From the glimpses he could catch of the male between his own pleasurable flinches, he was flawless, even whilst eating out his own client. Naruto tried counting all of his thick, black eyelashes and admired all of the wet tresses sticking to his face. The way his eyes were closed and yet his hands still knew what to do and where to go to hit Naruto hard was exhilarating. His wet, pinkish lips were curled around the head of his dick and yet the Uchiha still looked politically immaculate. Naruto could only watch Sasuke's lips for a few moments before the feeling came to him. He shoved the Uchiha, his legs flailing.

"Get off, I'm gunna bust," he cried indignantly, confused as to why the Uchiha wouldn't budge. His mouth suctioned his penis harder and farther down and Naruto grit his teeth at the release of his semen. He closed his eyes tightly and rested his head back on the tiled wall, allowing the warm water to pelt down on his face as he breathed with exaggeration. His knees winced uncontrollably as his now-extremely sensitive tip was being squeezed out and licked up. Naruto looked down. Sasuke was looking up at him as he did so, before his arms climbed up to meet Naruto's face. Naruto leaned in and Sasuke instantly recoiled.

"I was just on your dick, you don't want my mouth-" Naruto grabbed the back of his head and pulled him closer, his eager lips smashing into Sasuke's. Sasuke scrambled for a few seconds before kissing him back. Naruto pulled Sasuke's legs over his hips and held him, their penises resting on one another. Naruto hugged him closely and kissed his neck thankfully and happily before leaning back and relaxing, enjoying the view that was Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke chuckled and ran his fingers through the blonde's wet hair. He brushed all of the wet hair off of his face and appreciated the handsome mug before him.

"I think you're perfect," Naruto whispered, his smile happy and well-nourished. Sasuke leaned in and kissed him again. Naruto licked his lips before sputtering and spitting out, the taste of his own salty seed in his mouth. He scraped his tongue with his finger and Sasuke laughed delectably in an 'I told you so' kind of way.

The two sat and stared at one another with a high degree of happiness fleeting over both of their faces. Naruto's big hands were wrapped around both of Sasuke's so that he couldn't leave even if he wanted to. He wasn't going anywhere. Ever. He was now and forever Naruto's, he decided. The decision was made. He wasn't straight. He wasn't gay, either. He was Sasuke's. And Sasuke was his. And he didn't feel any need to confirm or deny this situation with Sasuke because he was happy and Sasuke had just sucked him off. There wasn't a doubt in Naruto's mind now. He was cognizant of all of the trouble this will cause within the Uchiha clan and also the Konoha rumor mill and maybe even with his own family, but he didn't care. He didn't care what anyone was going to do or say because Sasuke Uchiha was perfect and he was perfect for him. He was smart and polite and impeccable and gorgeous and he kept Naruto in line and Naruto appreciated the care and sentiment that Sasuke put into making sure Naruto was kept in line. He understood why Jiraiya loved Tsunade now; yes, she was angry and violent and pushy, but Naruto understood it now. She always cared about him more than he cared about himself. And that was the most important thing in the world: to find someone who gives a shit about you even when you don't. Even when you've lost all respect for yourself and those you love. Even when you take your aggression out on people and hurt people emotionally and then physically and then hurt the cops who try to stop you. Even when you've hit rock bottom so many times and landed in prison so many times. Even when your father has spent hundreds and thousands of dollars to make sure you're happy and safe and yet you still don't care. And Sasuke did all of that. And he had only known Naruto for a few weeks. And yes he was being paid to guard his body, but Sasuke wasn't there for a paycheck anymore. He was there for Naruto. And he didn't need to confirm or deny this situation with Sasuke either, because he knew Sasuke felt this way. He saw it in the Uchiha's dark, satisfied eyes.

"We should have sex."

Sasuke's content smile drooped, first in confusion, and then in a grim expression.

"That doesn't sound like a good idea to me," he replied. The curve of Naruto's mouth drooped as well and he lifted his head off of the tile.

"Why not?"

"Why so," Sasuke said in response. "Blow jobs are one thing, but sex? Sex is...very different." He curled away from Naruto's lap slightly, and Naruto released the Uchiha's hands from his safe grasp.

"I think I'm ready," Naruto reiterated. "Sasuke, I _really _like you. And I know it's only been a few weeks since I met you, but my father always told me I'd know when it was right, and I do now. It feels right with you."

Sasuke's neck arched backward in uncertainty. He was unconvinced, and severely doubtful. Naruto shook his hand tightly and kissed his mouth in reassurance. Sasuke was motionless for a few moments and then shook his head in declination.

"No," he said. "It's not a good idea-" Naruto grabbed him from the bottom of his thigh and lifted his legs up, his back subsequently falling to the floor of the shower. Naruto was straddling him and slung the Uchiha's legs over his shoulders, propping him up.

"I'll do the same to you, then." He kissed the Uchiha's neck and chest and stomach before Sasuke's hand was wrapped up in his tangled hair. He lifted the blonde's head off of him and looked him in the eye.

"I want to have sex with you. I just don't want to have sex with you right now."

"It isn't up to you," Naruto kissed his mouth before returning to where he was on the boy's stomach. "You didn't give me a choice, so what makes you think you're going to get one?"

Sasuke lithely swiped his legs off of the Namikaze's shoulders and lightly kicked him away, harboring him with his feet on his strong chest. He gave him a dead glare, to which Naruto tried to return.

"No, Naruto-san," he said. "Not right now."

"Why!" The spoiled brat syndrome that was Naruto Namikaze was coming to the surface. Sasuke exhaled sarcastically at the blonde-haired boy before sitting up.

"We're in a shower. We have no supplies here, it's the middle of the night. I work for you! I'm getting paid by the hour to be here right now! You're a delinquent and you're the Hokage's son!"

"Stop thinking about the stupid details. Focus on me. Focus on this, right here, right now."

"Those 'stupid details' are life, Naruto-san."

"Stop calling me 'san'!"

Sasuke pushed him off abruptly and stood up in the shower. "You're ridiculous," he muttered. He shut the faucet off and walked out of the shower. Naruto followed behind, dripping wet. He slipped clumsily on the wet floor and slid. His forearm struck against Sasuke's back, pushing him forward. Sasuke whipped around irritably. "You're acting like a child," he continued. "I didn't say 'never', I just said 'not now'."

"I'm more of an instant gratification type of person, remember?" he explained, his frustration mounting.

"I've noticed." Sasuke grabbed a towel and patted himself down and wrapped it around his naked hips. He threw a clean towel at Naruto and left the room.


	10. Overboard

Hi everyone! Thank you all for your continual support for this story! I hope you enjoy this next chapter! Sorry for such a long wait, don't worry, I didn't abort this story, I just became an aunt two short weeks ago! I've been spending all my free time with my new nephew instead of writing, I'm sure you'll all understand the joys of cute little babies (:

Also, concerning reviews I've gotten since the beginning of this story, I'd just like to say not to worry. Please don't abandon a story halfway through reading it. We're only halfway done with Fate's Palette and I have the whole thing planned out. I promise you that this will be worth reading, NS fans! Please have faith in me, I won't write you a bad story, I swear on it. :)

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><p>Chapter Ten: Overboard<p>

"What's your issue?" Naruto whined impatiently, following Sasuke as he stormed away to his bedroom. "I thought you liked me."

"We can't have sex, Naruto-san."

"Tell me why!" Naruto ordered. Sasuke looked over at him with a deadpan stare. He briskly pulled a pair of briefs under his towel and strapped them around his waist before dropping the towel. He pulled on his pajama pants and a t-shirt, ignoring his client's presence altogether.

"You're not scared are you?" Sasuke climbed into bed and took a novel off of his bedside table. He opened the book to a dog-eared page and began reading. Naruto stormed over and snatched the book from his hands, tossing it across the room. Sasuke watched the book hit the wall and flop hopelessly down to the corner of the room.

"Talk to me!" Naruto commanded. Sasuke looked up at him.

"It's been such a nice night that you're ruining, you know," Sasuke said calmly.

"Do I smell? Am I ugly? Did you not like my dick? Why all of the sudden are you saying no?" He began pacing the area of small guest bedroom, barely listening to anything that Sasuke was explaining to him.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "As I said before, I didn't say 'no', I just said 'not now'."

"Why though! Are you scared?" He stopped pacing and stared strongly at his bodyguard.

"No."

"Are you a virgin?"

Sasuke smiled crossly in response. Naruto recoiled instantly. He hated the idea of someone else having their way with his bodyguard. He had already assumed Sasuke was sexually active, he was just hoping that his instinct was wrong. Evidently that was not the case.

"Naruto-san, it's late. I'm tired and you have work tomorrow morning. Now if you don't mind-" Before Sasuke could finish his sentence, Naruto had already climbed into his bed, straddling his hips from over the covers.

"It's not barely even ten pm," he argued calmly. "Get up, we're having sex."

"It won't be sex if you force me to participate," Sasuke told him.

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke sighed with a grouchy expression and looked over at the clock. It was 10:21 pm.

"Naruto-san-"

"Just Naruto."

"Naruto-san, let's talk. Let me just lay it all out on the line here for a moment." Naruto flopped over onto his side to listen closely. He nodded his head in approval for Sasuke to continue. He took a deep, elongated breath before saying, "Go away, I'm not having sex with you."

"In other words," Naruto lifted himself up by his arm and nestled his head into Sasuke's chest. "We've got all night, you know."

"Don't pick right now to start being nice to me!" he tried brushing off the forceful blonde, who was stuck on his chest as if he were glued there.

"I'll do whatever I want and whenever I want," he replied with a happy, dreamy smile.

"You're on duty tomorrow!"

"You're on duty now, what's the big deal?"

Sasuke huffed and threw his head back against the wall. "Don't remind me. I already feel guilty."

Naruto brusquely ran his fingers through Sasuke's hair, grooming his hair to accommodate the wet bangs falling in his face. He liked that look better on his bodyguard, anyway. The bangs were nice on Sasuke.

"Don't feel guilty for liking me," he didn't mean for it to come out as a whisper, but it did. He saw a flash of discontent on Sasuke's face and with that distant expression he knew that he would be unable to sway the Uchiha's decision. He kissed him on the temple of his forehead and then scooted off the bed and left the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

-NSNSNSNS-

Sasuke rolled over and stared at the florescent green lighting of the blinking digital clock beside his bed. It was 11:33 pm and he was no more tired or clarified than he was when Naruto left him for the night. He knew it instantly: he had gone much too far. He couldn't have sex with Naruto, not now and not ever. No matter how much he wanted to, he had to put his own wants and feelings aside. He couldn't win in this situation; he was on assignment and he couldn't break code. Sucking off his client? Definitely a massive breech of conduct. He was already dead on Uchiha clan terms and the clan didn't even know what was going on. They thought everything was going peachy and that Sasuke was following out his duties as always. They didn't know. They couldn't know. It was bad enough he knew.

Sasuke furiously tossed the blankets off of himself and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He switched on the lamp on his bedside table and stared hopelessly at the carpeted floor underneath him. He dug his toes in between the berber, feeling each thread of carpeting on his soles.

He knew he did this to himself. It was all his fault. He shouldn't have let his emotions dictate his manners. He was trained to be emotionless and here he was, falling for the Hokage's dirty, reckless, hotheaded, spoiled son. Of course Sasuke had fallen for guys before. He _was_ gay, after all. And while maybe a few of his suitors were guys he met while on a mission, they were never the _clients_ of said missions. He had played around and done shameful things whilst away from the Clan territory, but never while he was legitimately "on the clock". He had just showered with Naruto. He was getting paid to shower with Naruto. He was getting paid to shower with Naruto when a more pressing issue was looming over his head like a storm cloud. He cupped his face in his hands and fell backwards onto his bed. He felt disgusting and ashamed. Not for giving Naruto that experience, but for ruthlessly enjoying it, knowing he had a higher power to serve that paid him, and knowing that, in that moment, he didn't care at all. He was wasting his own skills and efforts and feelings on something inevitable: he and Naruto would part. And they would never see one another ever again.

But...

The angel on his shoulder told him to stick to his assignment, carry out his duty, and leave accordingly. But the demon...the demon told him to indulge. After all, if he never saw Naruto again, wouldn't it be risqué and fun to have a secret experience with him? Yes, of course. But then again...he didn't just want a fling with Naruto. He wanted everything with him. He wanted to crack the code on what made the Namikaze tick. On what made him so miserably hard-headed and yet completely genuine at the same time. He loved that about him. He loved everything about him, truthfully. And indulging, even for this short month - it may be too much for Sasuke, all while being never enough. He had had plenty of one night stands and risky, secret nights with men before. In fact, most of his homosexual encounters were just that. Many had tried to secure him as a partner, and many failed. But this time it was different - he wanted that partnership, that unbreakable bond. He didn't want just one night and then only memories. He wanted Naruto.

Sasuke rubbed his sweaty palms over his cold, clammy cheeks and pushed all of his hair away from his face. He didn't want to be in this situation. He didn't know how to fix it though. Naruto didn't know the gravity of the situation that he was in - that they both were in. He couldn't possibly understand the heightening level of stress that Sasuke's feelings gave him. He shouldn't be feeling anything for anyone on missions. Especially not this one. Not this mission.

He had been on countless important missions in his active years as an Uchiha. Gathering information and spying on countries for other countries, undercover assignments to infiltrate an important area or building, defending intel, disguising or hiding powerful warlords. He knew a lot about a lot of things. He knew enough to get many different cities in more than enough trouble to cause an all-out war. But this mission... this mission tops all others. Because it was hands-on. And Sasuke? Sasuke had taken "hands on" to a very different playing field.

Sasuke bit his lip in thought and weighed his options quickly. He wanted to leave. He had to. He had gotten too attached to someone he'd never see again. He'd never be able to hold Naruto again or comfort him or protect him. His and Naruto's relationship was a ticking time bomb and he wanted to get out before he fell too far and got too hurt - before Naruto got too hurt. And he couldn't hurt Naruto. He refused to do that. He was on the verge of deciding that he liked Naruto enough to keep him around forever, and he needed to leave before leaving was impossible. So he needed to leave now.

And that was that.

Sasuke jolted up and flipped himself out of his bed. In a solid, flighty movement, his pajamas were off and he was digging through his suitcase for a pair of black trousers and a white button-down. He neatly folded all of his belongings into the leather bag and zipped it up accordingly. He pulled on his uniform clothes and his quick hands threw his black tie together.

He would leave now. He would call his father and tell him to send a replacement bodyguard immediately who would arrive in the morning. He would hop in a taxi and take the long way home to think of a good explanation as to why he was forced to leave his assignment so suddenly. Falling in love wouldn't cut it, surely, but he also knew that if he said it was classified information, he'd be encouraged to not speak of it until well within the Uchiha Clan territory, where no harm would come to him for knowing such imperative intel. Yes, that's what he would do. He'd think of something while on the road. Something that made it so he was unfit to finish this assignment, but didn't make him the reincarnation of Obito Uchiha. And as for saying goodbye to Naruto...

Sasuke's movement came to a cessation and he pursed his lips and licked them dry in a fury of hesitation and impatience. Leave in the middle of the night? Without saying goodbye? It almost seemed like a sin. But he had to. He couldn't imagine saying goodbye. If anything, it would make it worse. Best case scenario would be Naruto refusing to let him leave the city, stalking him around the world until he came back. Worst case scenario? He wasn't sure yet. All he knew was that if he thought about it too much he wouldn't be able to leave.

Sasuke clutched the bedside table and whipped open the drawer, scrambling for a paper and pen. He found a capless ball point pen and quickly jotted down some words.

_Dear Naruto-san,_

_I'm sorry to have left so abruptly and without a proper goodbye, but you'll soon realize that it's for the best._

He paused in thought.

_Actually, I'm sorry for a lot of things. Most of them are apologies for things I never did for you or told you about, one of them being on why I can't stay for the remainder of the month or why exactly I'm leaving to begin with. But I'd like to thank you for opening your house up to me, even though you were forced by your parents, and for making me smile in ways I didn't realize I could. You've made an impact on me, Naruto-san, and I can only hope that you'll not ever be impacted by me. Please tell Jiraiya-san that I'm sorry I could not stay for his gallery opening, and please take credit for your beautiful painting. You have a gift, Naruto-san. _

_Sincerely, _

_Sasuke Uchiha_

Sasuke stared at the chicken scratch written on the old, dried up napkin he used as a makeshift letter. It was just barely legible cursive, but it was the best he could do. He folded it in half and placed it gently on his pillow. He folded the comforter and made the bed before putting his shoes on.

"Ugh," he stopped and dropped his head backwards. "Forgot my watch." It was the watch his mother had bought for him upon his coronation as an eligible Uchiha. It was sentimental and expensive and it was his most prized possession. He had taken it off just before he got in the shower with Naruto. A part of him told him to just leave it and have the new Uchiha replacement mail it back to him, but the part of him that was a glutton for punishment, the part of him he was listening to, wanted the satisfaction of passing Naruto's room on the way to the bathroom to catch one last glance. He silently crept towards the door and tip-toed out of the den. He slid quietly into Naruto's room and stared intently at the messy king-sized bed he expected Naruto to be curled up into. It took his eyes a few moments to adjust to the lack of lighting in the room to recognize that his bed was empty. The main door opened into the dark bedroom and Naruto appeared from outside in the hallway, his silhouette shining like the sun from the lights in the corridor.

"Sasuke?" he yawned, holding a glass of water and a pack of cigarettes. "What are you doing up? I thought you went to sleep?"

Sasuke's shoulders whipped back instinctively at the sight of his client and a sudden flush of embarrassment came over his face. He knew he should have just left the watch and made a run for it. As if the next Uchiha coming in wouldn't have mailed it back to him.

"I couldn't sleep," he lied gruffly, clearing his throat. "In fact I was just getting up to get myself a glass of water as well."

Naruto eyed him up and down. "And you got dressed in a suit and tie to get water?" he asked suspiciously, taking a sip of his glass and throwing aside the empty carton of cigarettes.

"Yes," Sasuke responded matter-of-factly. "Exactly right."

"You're weird, you know that?" Naruto hopped onto his bed, smiling lazily at Sasuke as he examined the bodyguard in his fully dressed uniform. "Are you sure you didn't just come in here because you changed your mind about having sex?" he smirked seductively and wriggled his eyebrows, patting the bed and beckoning for company.

"You think I got dressed in a suit and tie to come have sex with you?" Sasuke reiterated. "You're weird, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know that," Naruto laughed. Sasuke's face instantly smiled at the brassy chimes of his raspy, honest laugh. It was enough to make Sasuke's heart flutter. It was enough to make Sasuke forget he was trying to make a getaway. And it was more than enough to make Sasuke remember his getaway plan and mentally beat the shit out of himself for trying to leave without saying goodbye - or to leave at all. How could he leave such a toned, stupid blonde? Especially when, now more than ever, he needed Sasuke to be there to protect him.

Sasuke walked over the foot of Naruto's grand bed and sat down. Naruto watched him with an yearning expression as if he were waiting for Sasuke to say something. But Sasuke didn't say anything. Instead, he leaned over and kissed Naruto's forehead. Naruto quickly retracted, spilling half a cup of water on his bed and not realizing he did so. Sasuke looked down at the wet splotch of sheets.

"My forehead?" Naruto asked rudely. "Don't come sit on my bed and kiss my forehead! Who are you, my dad?"

Sasuke chuckled. "Only you would even dare complain about affection. You're the biggest brat in the entire world, Naruto-san."

"It's just Naruto."

"Be quiet, Naruto-san," Sasuke snatched him by the ankle and pulled him down the bed until he was flat on his back. Naruto immediately responded by throwing his free foot around Sasuke's shoulder and pulling him down on top of him.

"Don't be scared," he whispered softly, one-handedly pulling down Naruto's boxers.

"I'm not scared of you," was Naruto's near-silent reply. He was stunned on how much his body craved contact with the Uchiha, and his blood raced through his veins as Sasuke came closer to his face, hovering gently over his body and his bed. In truth, he was not scared of Sasuke in any way. But at the same time, he was. He was scared because he knew Sasuke was serious this time. There was a red glint in his eye that wasn't there before. He was serious. He had had a change of heart. He was going to have sex with him. At the sheer fear Naruto felt over that, his legs clenched tightly around the Uchiha's hips, halting him from moving, or shifting to continue pulling Naruto's pants off.

"I thought you weren't scared?" Sasuke snickered.

"I'm not," Naruto defended. "But..."

"But what?" Sasuke, giving up on taking his pants off, switched to pulling off Naruto's shirt.

"But..." He swatted Sasuke's hand away only to be met with resistance and a more motivated fist in return.

"Naruto-san-"

"-Maybe you should go first."

Sasuke pulled the rest of his shirt off and leaned away, confused by his comment. "What? You don't want to have sex anymore?" He threw the t-shirt aside.

"No, no, that's not what I'm saying," Naruto stumbled over his words. Sasuke was straddling above him with a disgruntled, slightly insulted expression on his face. "I want to have sex with you. Just...maybe you should go first?"

"You want me to come first?" he asked for clarification, cocking his head to the side cutely.

"No," Naruto grumbled. "You know..." he looked at Sasuke with a hinted expression hoping he would catch on. Sasuke shook his head, indicating his confusion. Naruto rolled his eyes and breathed out deeply. "You know...maybe I should be...on top?"

Sasuke's face twisted from a wildly crooked smirk to a disapproving frown in one fell swoop. "Not a chance."

"What! Why?"

"Why do I have to be on the bottom?"

"Because you're used to it and I'm not!"

"But you don't even know what you're doing!"

"I've had sex with girls, there's no way this could be that much different. It's just different anatomy that's all."

"Yes, that's all," Sasuke repeated sarcastically, holding the bridge of his nose.

"Please?" Naruto whined. "Please let me be on top."

Sasuke heard his whiny cry before it went back out of his ears completely. It's not like he _minded_ being on the bottom necessarily. He just didn't exactly appreciate Naruto _expecting_ him to be okay with it. As if he were ready to be dominated by the already-over-dominating brat that was Naruto Namikaze. But, he was infatuated with the blonde. And maybe that would have to be enough.

"Fine," Sasuke sat up with confirmation. "You can be on top." Naruto punched a fist in the air in triumph. "But-" he tugged at Naruto's chin and brought his face close with his own. "-do _not_ come inside me."

"What?" Naruto asked with genuine quizzicality. "Why not? What's the big deal?"

"I'm not a girl. It's different in a guy," Sasuke said matter-of-factly. His back shivered at bad memories. "Just don't do it, okay?"

Naruto nodded in affirmation. He tried to hide the goofy grin making its way onto his face, but he couldn't help but be overjoyed. He was going to have sex with Sasuke Uchiha. he let out a giddy laugh before smacking his lips onto Sasuke's.

* * *

><p>Naruto paced the floors of the foyer, looking up from his moving feet to glance at the driveway in hopes that Sasuke had returned yet. After seeing an empty, dark driveway, he'd look over at the mirror hanging on the wall, examine himself, primp, and then continue pacing the floors, impatiently waiting upon the return of his counterpart.<p>

He wasn't exactly sure where Sasuke had gone. All he knew was that Sasuke told him that he'd be back in no more than thirty minutes and that it was coming to close to having been twenty-eight minutes ago that he said that. So after quickly tidying up his room and making his bed and lighting mood candles around his room that he stole from Kushina's bedroom, Naruto took to the front hall, his heart pounding in anticipation of Sasuke and his return. He wasn't sure what was taking so long, but he hoped it wouldn't be much longer. He couldn't wait. He couldn't wait knowing that soon he'd be having sex with Sasuke Uchiha. He'd be inside Sasuke Uchiha. He was a swirling ball of excitement and anxiety and nerves and all of them caused him to forget to put his shirt back on.

In the back of his mind, he was laughing at the irony of his life. It was only a few short weeks ago that Naruto was very patiently waiting for the arrival of an Uchiha, considering such a clan the bane of his existence. It was funny, what fate did to him; it changed his entire mindset on life. On Uchihas. He liked Uchiha's now - at least one of them. And maybe even two. He decided that, trusting Sasuke wholeheartedly, maybe Obito is exactly who Sasuke said he was. Maybe Obito really did love Kakashi. And maybe Sasuke and Naruto were reincarnating their love.

The fast crackle of rocks underneath spinning tires alarmed Naruto that Sasuke was back with his car. Naruto flung the door open upon his arrival and helped him inside.

"What's in there?" he pointed to the paper bag.

"I went to the convenience store," Sasuke responded. "For supplies."

"Supplies?" Naruto repeated. "Like what?"

"You'll see." Sasuke traipsed to the staircase. "Come on, Naruto-san."

"Just Naruto."

* * *

><p>Sasuke watched each foot carefully as he stepped up the staircase. He felt the presence of the very hesitantly eager Namikaze trailing behind him, and his heart rate went up each time his foot stepped closer to Sasuke's, which stepped closer towards the blonde's bedroom.<p>

He was trying not to think. He was going overboard and as he walked down the hallway up to Naruto's bedroom suite he was met with flashes of his wrongdoing and the shame he was blanketing his name with. But he walked past them. He kept walking. He convinced himself it was an adrenaline rush and that he couldn't control his actions but he knew damn well where this would be going. The repercussions of his actions would be both amazing and horrible and he chose to block out every horrible thing that would happen after tonight.

"Are you nervous?" Naruto asked and the flashes of guilt twirled away in a vehement dance. Sasuke looked back at the blonde but kept moving forward.

"What?"

"You're hand is shaking," he pointed to the hand holding the paper bag. It was balled up into a fist so tightly his hand was turning purple. The paper bag was quivering and crinkling under the heavy shakes. Sasuke noticed and tried to ease up. He felt his fingernails lift up out of the palm of his hand, not realizing just how tense he was.

"I'm not nervous," Sasuke bit. He looked away from Naruto and opened Naruto's bedroom door. He promptly and unsteadily took off his sports coat and folded it neatly on a chair.

"It's okay to be nervous, you know," Naruto told him after a few moments of silence. His eyes were shifting and he was chewing on his cheek. "I'm nervous."

Sasuke flopped down into the chair at the sound of this. He threw his head back and rubbed his sweaty hand across his forehead before digging into his thick, twisted hair. He couldn't do this. Not after that.

"Sasuke-"

"Please stop talking." Sasuke kept his eyes squinted shut and walls built up around him to block him away from the Namikaze. Of course this would happen. The day had finally come for Sasuke's emotions to set themselves free into a rallying downward spiral. The clean-cut, ever so held together and laid-back Uchiha was unravelling and his feelings were pulling him in every direction he was unsure about. He was calm and collected. And now he was slumped into a cushy chair on the outskirts of Naruto Namikaze's bedroom, the virginal resting place for the blonde's sexuality, questioning everything about himself.

Naruto pursed his lips closely and looked worriedly upon Sasuke.

"Look, if this is too much for you, we don't have to," Naruto's fear and anxiety was set aside as he watched as his confidant internally fell apart. Naruto wasn't the best at reading people, but he was certain that he could see a war beginning inside of his bodyguard and, because Sasuke wasn't mentally present to tell Naruto otherwise, he had to assume it was because of him.

Sasuke wasn't listening in any way; it was a mere hour ago that he wanted to up and leave and run away from this place forever. It was three hours ago that he was giving his client head. It was a little over fourteen hours ago that he was waking up to start the day, convinced that his client hated him and wanted him to leave and never come back. It was about a day ago that they had made out before he was coldheartedly rejected by the Namikaze. And while he spent the duration of his stay blaming Naruto for sending mixed messages, he forced himself to realize the truth: he was the bad guy here. He was the one sending the mixed signals.

He was professional and businesslike when he first showed up. But his first full day on the job he not only discussed his personal life and preferences, but he kissed Naruto. It wasn't soon after that he was pushing Naruto to go on a date with a female and then abandoned Naruto and wandered off into the city, getting lost and causing Naruto to end his date so that he could go search for him. And then he retracted and he wanted to start over as a professional bodyguard. But he kissed Naruto again. And again and again and again and now here he was, doors away from his goodbye letter and a packed suitcase while feet away from a king sized bed and a paper bag full of lube and condoms. He felt a dismissive wave of shame for even trying to blame Naruto. He hated that he was the bad guy in disguise and that the innocent one was so misunderstood. Naruto liked girls. He also didn't like anyone. And Sasuke was a force in his life. He was a tidal wave swallowing up everything Naruto said and believed and mixing him around until he was gasping for air and his hands were reaching for his Uchiha. No wonder Naruto was being such an asshole to him - he could see through all of Sasuke's bullshit. Even in the beginning. Even when Sasuke couldn't see through it. But now he could and his temptation and feelings along with his assignment were getting mixed up and sloshed around in his head and his heart.

Sasuke breathed out (the first sign to Naruto that he was in fact alive) and his limbs went limp. He was a hypocrite. He was the worst kind of person. A liar. A player of emotions. An asshole. And now he had two choices. One) stand up and admit to his crimes and hope to God that Naruto would forgive him before he was to return to the clan and ask for forgiveness there as well or Two) start fresh. Accept that where he is right now is exactly where he wanted to be and not feel guilty for liking where he was. To enjoy it. To enjoy Naruto. To stop wondering and hoping and hating and to just enjoy it. To just enjoy Naruto.

He spent several minutes with his face masked by his hand. He licked his clammy lips before he stood up and loosened his tie. He made his decision. He wasn't going to fret about anything anymore. He wasn't going to hide behind his surname or his job position. He was going to enjoy it. To enjoy Naruto. To enjoy his freewill.

"You okay?" Naruto asked with a touch of worry in his voice.

"Sorry," Sasuke apologized. "I'm sure I'm acting funny-"

"-Just a little bit," Naruto muttered under his breath.

"I'm over it now," Sasuke finished. He smiled genuinely at Naruto, who returned the grin happily, his face blushing. He held Sasuke by the belt loops of his pants and tugged at him to move closer. Sasuke seductively wrapped his arms around Naruto's shoulders and sat on his lap, digging his face into Naruto's neck to kiss over and over again.

Naruto's neck opened favorably for the bodyguard and he craned to the side to give Sasuke room to please. His fingers gingerly raced up and down Sasuke's scalp, twisting tendrils of matted hair around his fists. Sasuke's hand slid down towards Naruto's crotch and he rubbed down onto the blonde's groin. Naruto made a soft, breathy moan before he and Sasuke simultaneously fell further onto the bed. Naruto's laid on his back laxly and Sasuke cuddled himself into every crevice of the Namikaze's chiseled body, all while still handling his member. He felt Naruto's penis harden from the contact and the fist Naruto held captive in Sasuke's hair balled up in sexual frustration.

"Can we start already?" Naruto groaned warmly. He wasn't into foreplay.

"You don't like being teased?" Sasuke purred gruffly, squeezing harder onto Naruto's groin and causing his legs to spasm in reluctant glee.

"I'm not a fan of foreplay," Naruto stated blankly. Sasuke, whose face was nuzzled deeply into Naruto's bare chest, smirked. Naruto lifted him up enough to vigilantly unbutton his shirt and rip it off of him in three seconds flat. Sasuke made an audible disapproval of his clean and freshly pressed shirt being thrown to the floor, but Naruto wrestled him up off of the bed and slammed him against a wall before the Uchiha was able to scold him verbally.

"You're feisty," Sasuke told him, a near-annoyed tone to his voice. Naruto chuckled as his slippery hands fumbled around Sasuke. He could take off the man's work shirt with ease, but his hesitant hands appeared unable to pull his pants off. "Having trouble Naruto-san?"

"Don't call me 'san' when I'm about to fuck you up," Naruto mumbled, the pestering 'san' suffix giving him enough of a push to be able to rip the zipper down on Sasuke's suit pants.

"Naruto-san," Naruto's face jutted into Sasuke's mouth, kissing him passionately as well as wetly. Sasuke tried to forfeit and push him away but Naruto's strong arms locked him against the wall. "Naruto-"

"What," Naruto groan, his lips never leaving Sasuke's.

"We need that paper bag," Sasuke pointed at the convenience store bag on the floor beside the chair he had had his mental breakdown in just minutes earlier. Naruto looked emotionlessly at the bag before turning back to Sasuke. He stared at the bodyguard for a few moments before forcefully grabbing his pants down and turning him around. Naruto's body slammed into Sasuke's, erection and all, and Sasuke yelled in reply.

"Usuratonkachi!" he slammed his fist against the wall in displeasure. "What do you think you're doing?!"

Naruto's heavy thrusting slowed down a bit. "What do you mean?" he asked, holding on to Sasuke's hips and rocking slowly. "I figured that if we took any longer I'd get nervous and back out, so I figured I should just dive in," he explained simple-mindedly.

"_Dive in_?" Sasuke repeated through grit teeth. "Dive in? To my asshole?"

"You're in pain?!"

"Of course I am!"

"I thought you've had sex before!" Naruto's rocking stopped instantly.

"I have!" Sasuke defended loudly. "But I've never had someone just throw their dick into me without a condom or lube or anything you idiot!"

"Oh." Naruto smiled sheepishly at the cold stare Sasuke was giving him from the corner of his eye. He slowly pulled his dick out, halting for a few moments at each grimace that showed up on his bodyguard's face. "Sorry," he chuckled.

"Yeah. Sure."

"I was wondering why it felt weird," Naruto laughed, his face beet red.

Sasuke sighed hopelessly and rubbed his face into his hands. He pulled his boxers up and walked over to the paper bag and picked it up.

"Go get in the bed," Sasuke ordered him, pointing to his disheveled mattress. "It's my turn now."

* * *

><p>I will be updating weekly from now on. No more three week waiting periods.<p> 


	11. Words Between Us

Hello hello hello! Miss me? I told you I'd be back within a week! :)

Thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter! Your continual support only fuels my fire to write you a damn good fan fiction!

* * *

><p>Chapter Eleven: Words Between Us<p>

Naruto woke up early, his eyelids fluttering to adjust to the small beams of light breaking through his closed curtains. Birds chirped from outside the window, indicating that the long day of rain was finally at an end and that maybe, just maybe, the sun would show itself today.

His head slid over to the side of his pillow. The clock read a little past 6:30 in the morning.

It was astounding how much life had happened within the past six and a half hours for him. It was only a few short hours ago that he was making love to his Uchiha bodyguard, loosing his homosexual virginity to him, and enjoying every piece of Sasuke, all while getting to know the male a bit better. Flashbacks of warm, near-distant memories rang through his head; he remembers all of the thrusting and rocking and Sasuke's squirms and the feeling of his satiny silk hair between his hands and in his fingernails. The way they were both sweating as if they were standing in front of the sun, while cold drops of hard rain showered the outdoors, pelting loudly against the windows.

They had first spent a while preparing. Not so much Sasuke, but more so Naruto, whom refused to listen to any direction Sasuke was giving him and only became more anxious and loud as Sasuke stayed calm and collected. After an hour of prepping/calming down, Sasuke finally gave up on trying to be on top and resorted back to being on the bottom, to which Naruto happily complied. Once Naruto had finished (and still managed to come inside of Sasuke after multiple death threats to not do that "or else") Sasuke took to the top with a vengeance. They spent another hour or so making out and wrestling in a misplaced form of frustrated romance before they fell asleep. Naruto recalled waking up in the middle of the night to his bodyguard pressing the back of his naked body against his stomach and Naruto followed by wrapping his arm around the male's chest, hugging him closely into his own naked body.

Naruto flipped onto his back and stared up at the blank white ceiling above him, listening to the brisk noises of early morning outside. He licked his lips. He was more tired - physically, thoughtfully and emotionally - than he was when he went to sleep.

It was a strange feeling. Maybe it was because his only other sexual encounters were with the same girl - Hinata Hyuuga, the daughter of one of his father's many wealthy investors. Maybe it was because this was the first time he was sober during sex. Maybe it was because his stomach felt like steel. He wasn't sure. He wasn't sure why he had a strange feeling, nor why his stomach felt like steel. What he did know, however, was that all of the answers were sitting inside of the black-haired male beside him, sound asleep and probably dreaming of corporate slaughters or some weird Uchiha ritual that he was missing out on while on assignment.

Naruto looked over at Sasuke. He was now laying on his belly, his face buried deep in the palm of his hand. He looked peaceful. The opposite of Naruto, who felt sweaty and disoriented and had a lump in his chest causing his heart to palpitate. He leaned over and placed his lips delicately on top of Sasuke's, diving softly, before going all the way in. Sasuke woke up, but kept his eyes shut. He opened his arms up for Naruto to climb in before he opened his legs to do the same.

* * *

><p>"It's not <em>that <em>bad."

"Yes it is!"

"You're being very dramatic."

"You don't know what it's like," Naruto said with a hearty laugh. He climbed into the backseat of his limousine, balancing the chopsticks on his ramen cup so it didn't spill anywhere. It was nearing noon and the only things that had changed since he woke up at six am was that they had made love more and more. They got dressed and ate breakfast and got back in bed and made more love before Naruto was due to work.

"Yes, actually, I do," Sasuke replied in some sort of a hushed tone before nodding a 'thank you' at the driver as he shut the door on the Uchiha. He scooted in and sat close to Naruto. "I went first, remember?"

"It's nicer on top," Naruto told him admittedly, shoving a chopstick-full of ramen into his mouth.

Sasuke sniggered in reply before running his fingers through his hair. He watched the blonde finish off his second ramen cup and wash it down with a warm soda can he had found underneath his bed ten minutes earlier. He was repulsive and messy. But Sasuke sort of liked that. He appreciated the polar dichotomy between the two of them.

"Wanna know a secret?" Naruto smiled slyly.

"Sure, what is it?"

Naruto grinned widely. "You're the first person I've ever brought home."

Sasuke perked up. "You mean romantically?"

Naruto nodded and chuckled.

"You've never brought any ladies home before?"

Naruto shook his head with a crooked smile.

"Really?" Sasuke was surprised, much to Naruto's enjoyment. "Well that's...nice, I guess."

"Yeah," Naruto sighed. "Not that I really took you home, though. Actually, now that I think about it, I tried keeping you as far from my home as possible in the beginning. So I guess you aren't really the first person I've brought home, then."

"Shut up," Sasuke struck his leg in mock insult. Naruto flinched and laughed wildly.

"I guess Minato brought you home first, not me," he laughed more.

"Don't act like you've tried so hard to get rid of me," Sasuke responded, his ego bruised. He folded his arms and looked out the window at the passing flashes of green and blue and white.

"Oh, I did," Naruto protested whimsically.

"What about that time I got lost in Konoha?" Sasuke reminded him. "You could have easily gotten rid of me that night."

Naruto blushed and looked away, pouting. "My parents would have killed me if I didn't go get you."

"Oh, please," Sasuke said. "You cared about my wellbeing, just admit it."

"No!"

"Yes," Sasuke smiled.

Naruto's face turned pink and he shoved the can of soda up by his mouth to hide the overwhelming color.

"It's okay to care about people, you know, Naruto-san," Sasuke told him.

"Will you quit calling me Naruto-san?" Naruto snapped back. "It's _just _Naruto."

"You're above me in this business partnership," Sasuke retorted. "It'd be rude of me not to call you san."

"This isn't a business partnership anymore, Sasuke," Naruto said. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked dreamily at the Uchiha sitting beside him in his car.

"Don't try to change the subject," Sasuke smiled slyly. "Just admit that you cared about me."

"Never!" Sasuke pinched Naruto's inner thigh and he retracted his leg, curling up in a ball on the other side of the car bench. Sasuke lunged forward and grabbed his leg and dragged him down the seat. Naruto let out a laugh before wrestling back away from him and playfully pressing his feet against the Uchiha's chest to keep him at bay. He nimbly threw his arms up before springing up to the side seat of the limo.

"You're crazy," Sasuke laughed.

"You're the one trying to pinch me!" Naruto smiled, secretly proud of himself for being able to preform so flawlessly in a moving vehicle. "I should have you fired for insubordination."

"I'm not sure how well that would go for you," Sasuke mused with a soft smile. He rested his elbow on the car door and placed his jaw in his palm.

"What? You don't think anyone would listen to my helpless cries for a non-violet bodyguard?"

"With your violent reputation beseeching you? Not quite," he joked. He paused with a slight frown on his face. "Besides, I think I'm as non-violent as Uchiha's get, aside from my brother," Sasuke replied. He folded his arms and his legs shifted uncomfortably in his black slacks and straight black tie. "Sorry, Naruto-san, you're stuck with me."

Naruto beamed. "Well, if I'm going to get stuck with someone forever, I'd prefer it to be you."

_Forever_.

The word chimed in Sasuke's ears, leaving his face in a permanent dumbfounded expression that he consciously tried to hide from Naruto. Naruto noticed his wording immediately and looked away, his face on fire.

_Forever_.

Forever was a long time. Longer than this month, for sure. Sasuke's eyes trailed to the outside world beyond his window, trying to escape the heavy room he was stuck in. The duties of his assignment slapped him across the face and said "forever" to him in a slow, evil voice.

In a shot of remembrance, Sasuke bolted up, recalling the sad, chicken scratch of a goodbye letter that was placed in his bedroom for Naruto to read. He covered his mouth in nausea, wishing that he had destroyed that stupid piece of paper this morning when they were both getting ready to go out for the day. In the very least, he wished he had hid it in a pocket of his leather suitcase. He sighed and began anxiously tapping his fingers against his knee; hopefully Naruto would never know just what that letter entailed. Truthfully, he barely remembered writing most of it. But he understood the gist of what he wrote. And he understood that if Naruto ever saw that note, "forever" would be a far cry from where they would stand with one another. That isn't to say that forever was in their future anyway, because that word itself reminded Sasuke that it was utterly impossible. Regardless, Sasuke never wanted Naruto to read that.

How did he let it get this far? He had asked himself that question every leg of the journey and still he is asking himself that question, damn well knowing the answer. He scanned the outdoors, barely even realizing that the suburban greenery and foliage had shifted into gray buildings and passing people and street lights.

"Oi, Sasuke."

Sasuke looked over at the Namikaze, who was staring unchastely at his pale bodyguard. Naruto came towards Sasuke with a glint in his blue eyes and Sasuke knew exactly what he wanted with him. He wanted to make love to him again. And Sasuke would let him on this day, over and over again, even in the back of his limousine.

-NSNSNSNS-

"What's with you?" Jiraiya gazed over at his godson with a judgmental eye. "You seem...different."

"He actually showered this morning," Sasuke smiled jokingly. Jiraiya laughed loudly as Naruto muttered profanities under his breath to the two of them, tied his apron around his waist and began watering the plants.

"But seriously though," Jiraiya spoke, trying to contain his laughter. Each time he looked over at the Uchiha, who was smirking devilishly to his cup of tea, he began snorting all over again. "There's something different about you. You seem lighter. Happier, I guess the word is?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Naruto brushed the golden locks from his forehead as he drenched a dying plant in water, drowning it to the core, before moving on to the next potted plant. "Nothing's different about me."

"Did you go out with Sakura again?" he asked excitedly.

"Sakura?"

"There's a spring in your step," he smiled and shook Sasuke's shoulders, unable to contain his unfounded enthusiasm.

"Jiraiya, I haven't seen Sakura since you forced me to go on a date with her." Jiraiya stopped shaking Sasuke and asked the bodyguard if this was true. Sasuke confirmed Naruto's statement.

"Well, you must have met someone new, then." Naruto shook his head. Jiraiya cupped his chin in thought. He silently pointed at Sasuke with a questioning stare and a half smile at Naruto, who rolled his eyes and turned away, not dignifying his godfather with a response. Jiraiya collapsed in defeat and hopelessness.

"You're pointing at _me_?" Sasuke clarified. He scoffed and turned his lip up into a slight snarl. "Don't drag me into this, Jiraiya-san, I'm a professional."

Jiraiya whipped his hands up in defense. "Well I had to ask," he protested.

Sasuke's cold, dead eyes slid over to meet Naruto's quizzically hurt stare. "I'd never," Sasuke said. He reverted to sipping on his cup of tea and Jiraiya surrendered to the argument and retreated to the back room. Naruto's eyes stayed locked on his bodyguard for a few moments before he turned away and watered more plants.

"By the way," the large, white-haired man returned to the door frame. "Don't forget that the art gallery opening is a week from tomorrow." He disappeared into the back room once more, and didn't return.

Naruto examined his emotionless reflection in the window. He'd never? He wasn't saying that last night. Or this morning. Or on the car ride here. Naruto peeked at Sasuke from over his shoulder. His face had a cold, blank expression. It was that same cold, blank expression that Uchiha's were notorious for producing. For displaying right before they were to assassin innocent people for the sake of money, their clan's business. Naruto turned away and he didn't look at Sasuke again during his shift.

* * *

><p>The crying whine of the hot teapot rang through Sasuke's deaf ears. He mindlessly whipped the kettle off of the stove, shut the stove off, and poured the boiling water in his mug.<p>

It was late now, and after a several-hour-session of work at the art gallery, Sasuke needed tea. He was safe from Naruto, who was cuddled up in a blanket on the patio smoking a cigarette and talking on the phone with one of his friends. It was dark outside now, and it was late, too. Sasuke hadn't eaten anything all day, but he barely even noticed. "Forever" was on his mind.

It was plaguing his thoughts ever since the word was uttered to him. He couldn't help it. It was like an itch he couldn't scratch; it wasn't going away. It was sticking onto his brain and clouding up his thoughts and obligations and he knew it, but he couldn't stop it.

After returning home from work, Naruto immediately wanted sex. Sasuke, who normally would have scolded him for being so salacious and wanting it so often while secretly wanting it as well, agreed. It wasn't until halfway through their session that Sasuke realized Naruto was upset. He was trying to hurt Sasuke. Eventually, Naruto stopped to talk to him..

"Sauce- Sasuke," he breathed heavily, rocking his hips slowly in a rhythmic, vindictive motion.

"What's wrong?"

"Well I was gunna ask you that same question," Naruto said. His voice was low and polite, a side that Sasuke had never heard before. He was breathing heavier and his hands were squeezed onto the Uchiha's hips as if they were glued there.

"I'm fine," Sasuke lied.

"Well what about today? At the art gallery?"

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean."

"You said you'd never," Naruto repeated, the words cutting him like a double-edged sword.

Sasuke looked over his shoulder and met the blonde eye-to-eye. "I was just covering up our tracks. I don't think it'd be appropriate to be telling people about our personal lives together, especially when we'll be attending that art gallery opening with different people." It was a lie. It was all a lying tale. And Naruto knew it was a lie. And Sasuke knew that Naruto recognized that. It was the only known lie between them. Naruto assumed it was because he wasn't doing Sasuke good enough, and he pressed onward to try and right his wrong. It never occurred to the Namikaze that perhaps it had nothing to do with him at all. The only thing that did occur to him was that Sasuke was distant. His mind was far away. And it was dwelling within the Uchiha Territory.

Sasuke blew lightly on his hot tea before taking a small sip. He eyed Naruto's back on the patio before escaping from the kitchen in silent steps. On his way towards the staircase, his peripheral vision caught the moonlight dripping into the back room where his painting was. Sasuke hesitantly crept towards the dark, unused room.

Sasuke elbowed the door farther open and poked his head in before switching on the lights. The ceiling lamp illuminated the room and his painting - or rather, Naruto's painting - was leaning against the wall, remarkably finished and well-graphed, just as he had left it.

That painting symbolized everything to Sasuke.

_Forever_.

The word played a grand role in Sasuke's life now.

He always knew how horrible he was acting during the mission. He was cognizant of all of the unprofessional, backstabbing, horrible things he was doing and the domino effect that his actions would have on his clan and his reputation as an Uchiha. His mind was always able to corral those ideas, however.

It was his mother who first commended him on his unwavering discernment. He remembers it well: he was fourteen and coming home from one of his first assignments. His father was angry at him for not sticking to their plan despite the fact that Sasuke's deviation helped the mission to be a success. It was his mother who calmed her husband down and told him that Sasuke's strong will to do what he felt was right was an amazing quality to have, and not one to shoot down.

And here he was: as strong-willed as ever. Always going against his assignment for what he felt was right. That first mission wasn't the last time Sasuke got in trouble for not obeying policy. He had been scolded countless times for going off on his own or creating new plans rather than sticking to the one his higher-ups gave him. This mission? This mission should be different. Sasuke came here promising himself it would be different. But it was no different.

But forever? Forever reminded him of that promise. The promise he made to himself and his father and his brother and his clansmen. He promised to draw out this assignment exactly as it was given to him. Naruto's nonchalant mention of "forever" reinforced his promise. That seven letter word corralled all of his dismissals and actions and the repercussions his thoughtless actions had. While his mind alone was able to push away all of the demons telling him that loving Naruto was wrong, that beautiful, romantic word was a bigger demon than he could ignore. He could not ignore forever.

Sasuke stared blankly into the portrait on the floor. The portrait he was to present at a prestigious gallery opening in one week's time. He could make it. Hopefully he could make it until then. He wasn't sure, but he had to try. And as for Naruto? He wasn't sure about anything in that field.

* * *

><p>"But everything's alright, right? No one's died or anything, right?" Naruto rolled his eyes as he listened to his ever-panicked worry wart of a father ramble on and on about the health and welfare of every individual in Konoha.<p>

"Everything's fine, dad," Naruto groaned.

"But you'd tell me if anything was the matter, right?" Minato asked hurriedly.

"Of course," Naruto stated thoughtlessly. He was barely even listening to his dad, he was simply accustomed to these types of random, emotional phone calls. Naruto had gotten so good at dodging his father's feelings that he was subconsciously able to answer yes or no depending on which answer suited Minato's question better. "I tell you everything, don't I?"

"Yes, yes, that's right," Minato breathed out with a sigh of relief. After a long pause he asked, "You haven't violated your probation or anything, right?"

"Dad!"

"Right, right, sorry," he back tracked. "Sasuke has you under control, I'm sure." Naruto smirked in thought, picturing him straddling the Uchiha and having his way with him.

"Yeah, Sasuke's good," he grinned, his crotch hardening at the thought.

"Okay, good, good."

"Hey, dad?"

"Yes son?"

"What time is it in Sunagakure right now?"

"Three am."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Goodnight dad." He hung up the phone and went inside to find his bodyguard.

-NSNSNSNS-

Naruto dragged his comforter around the house in a cape-like fashion, looking for Sasuke. He spotted the lights on in the back room and smiled in triumph before making his way down the long, dark hallway to the single room.

"Hey, you," Naruto said, roughly scratching through the hair on the back of Sasuke's head. Sasuke turned to him. "What are you doing back here?" he looked over at the painting.

"You know," Sasuke said, ignoring the Namikaze's question, "You should really be the one revealing this at the gallery opening a week from now."

"What?" Naruto asked, surprised. "It's your painting!"

"We both know who painted it, Naruto-san," he crossed his arms and took a sip of his tea.

"No one else does," Naruto retorted. "And it's just Naruto."

"But it's a lie," Sasuke stared into the soul of Naruto's painting. "It isn't mine to reveal. It's yours. You put the elbow grease and time and talent into this piece and you should be the one to show it off. It isn't my place to do so. I'm merely a hired hand in this city. I'm a faceless Uchiha. I am only to serve my assignment. Painting? That isn't part of my assignment."

Naruto lifted and eyebrow and cocked his head. "Stop talking like you're a drone," he ordered. "You sound strange. Get over it, it's your painting and it's yours to reveal and you're the one who will get the credit and the applause when you do that."

"You're being impossible."

"And you're being weird!" Naruto looked him up and down. "What is with you? You've been acting funny all night."

Sasuke stared back at him, wordless.

Naruto frowned at him. "You're not just some nameless fighting machine. You're more than just your last name," he told him sternly. "Now I'm going upstairs. You should come up to sleep soon, too." He walked out of the room and left Sasuke to his thoughts.

Why. Why all of the sudden was the dumb, selfish, royally spoiled brat making so many impactful sentences in Sasuke's head? Sasuke stared down at the painting that he so badly wanted to destroy. His growing pile of lies and secrecy from someone he wanted no secrets with - it was torturing him.

Sasuke listed all of the ways he had wronged Naruto. Then he listed all of the ways he wronged his clan. He rested his head against the wall beside him and shut his eyes and wished it all away.


	12. The King Of

Hi everyone! Thank you all so so much for reviewing and sticking with me thus far! Now this is where the story starts to get REALLY good... :)

Sorry I'm a day late on my chapter submission, I'm having some issues with my Internet at home so currently I'm writing this/proofreading this at a local cafe for free wifi :) bear with me...

Without further ado...

* * *

><p>Chapter Twelve: The King Of<p>

Naruto kissed Sasuke's lips viciously and the Uchiha retracted with a disgusted look on his face.

"Brush your teeth before you kiss me!" he wiped his lips dry of the Namikaze's saliva. Naruto chuckled in reply before waltzing over to the refrigerator and pulling out a carton of orange juice. He poured himself a glass and chugged the entire thing while multitasking his way over to the stove to boil a pot of water for his ramen cup.

"Today's the big day, you know," Naruto said in a singsongy tone.

"Of course I know," Sasuke quipped, sipping his tea and watching the blonde flit around the kitchen as he prepared breakfast for himself. "I'm the one who reminded you last night, remember?"

"Whatever," he smiled nonchalantly, pouring himself another round of orange juice.

A week had gone by and nothing had changed between Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto was still relaxed and content with his new Uchiha sleeping buddy. And while the first few days of Sasuke's "weirdness", silence and stiffness bothered Naruto, he had come to accept the fact that maybe this is how Sasuke was when he wasn't being "professional Sasuke". Maybe the normal, everyday Sasuke was a silent, grumpy, bitter kind of guy. And, with that in mind, Naruto accept this new light of his personality and welcomed it, all while still demanding love making at any given time of the day.

Naruto decided to accept the fact that he couldn't read Sasuke very well. He blew off any strange behavior and listed it as Sasuke finally becoming comfortable around Naruto and opening up to him. And because Naruto didn't know any differently, he wasn't going to dismiss Sasuke for showing his personality to him. If anything, he felt honored. He assumed that Sasuke was one of those people who stayed constantly guarded even while alone, only comfortable around very few people.

It was two days ago that a few movers had come to take Naruto and Sasuke's painting away to place it at the new art gallery building. Naruto had short shifts all week, spending only an hour or so at the gallery before Jiraiya sent him off for the day, fearing that if his godson spent any more time around his new gallery paintings that he'd end up accidentally destroying all of them with his clumsy, fast-paced movements. Jiraiya had been serious and professional all week, hoping that all of his hard work would pay off for him at this new gallery opening. Each day that passed his wrinkles became more deep set and his anxiety over the event became more apparent.

Naruto waited for the whine of the teapot before pouring the hot water into his ramen cup. He sat on the top of the counter and scarfed down the cup of noodles as Sasuke watched quietly and diligently from across the kitchen floor.

"Naruto-san?"

"Mhmm," Naruto was busy shoveling noodles down his throat.

Sasuke's finger shifted over the mug of tea and he clutched down onto it in fear that the cup would slip out of his sweaty hands. "I have to tell you something."

Naruto slammed the empty styrafoam cup down with a large burp. "What is it?" he asked, impatiently concerned.

Sasuke looked down at his half-empty cup of tea. For a few long moments he stared down at his tea, as if he were searching for some sort of clarity from the beverage. "Actually," he spoke hesitantly. "I guess it can wait."

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked. Sasuke nodded in return and Naruto let it go.

-NSNSNSNS-

"You're still coming, right?" the frantic voice of Jiraiya's interrogated his godson, who left the old man on speaker phone as he sent a comb through his unkempt hair and attempted to rip the price tag off of a bow tie he stole from his father's closet. For the most part, this gallery opening was a black tie affair, which was the opposite of everything Naruto stood for. Luckily for him, it was everything his father _did _stand for, who was almost the exact same size as his son.

"Of course I am, Jirayia," Naruto assured, annoyed that he was even forced to answer that question. "I told you I was coming, didn't I?"

"Well I was just checking," Naruto had a feeling that Jiraiya was busy pouring a shot of alcohol to calm his nerves. He always got nervous with these sorts of events, even when he knew well that it'd go off without a hitch. "I never know with you." Naruto snorted in protest at this comment. "Well? I just don't want to relieve me and Tsunade's dinner rehearsal all over again."

"That was different!" Naruto bit gruffly. "I had been roofied, I can't be held responsible for anything that happened that night!"

Naruto, whose impeccable childhood memories of watching his dad get dressed to the nines for multiple gala and political parties, craftily tied his bow tie around his neck, straightened it, examined his cleanly (and poorly) shaven face, and left the bathroom. He grabbed the sports coat off of the banister on his bed and slung it on before checking out his reflection in the mirror once more. Despite the fact that it was a little tight in the shoulders - he always was broader in the shoulders than his father - he looked pretty good. In fact, he looked great. He looked like a gentleman. He looked to be up to Sasuke standards - which was really saying something.

"And you already had the painting sent out?"

"Jiraiya!" Naruto groaned. "The painting was picked up by the movers two days ago _and _I've already told you that three times now _and _you got the bill for the movers and you probably already paid it off too!"

"Yes I know, I know," he said apologetically. "And what about Sasuke? How's he doing?"

"Sasuke's fine," Naruto told him. "And yes he's still coming, so don't you dare even ask me that next, alright?"

"Okay."

After a few solid minutes of reassuring his wary godfather that everything would go according to plan and that the night would be amazing for him, he hung up the phone and put his shoes on. Naruto sprayed a decent amount of cologne on before heading into Sasuke's room.

-NSNSNSNS-

Sasuke stared out the dark window into the night sky. His silhouette was saturated on the clean glass and a heartbreakingly emotionless face stared back at him. He breathed out deeply.

Tonight.

"Sasuke," he heard Naruto chirp from behind him and he whipped around accordingly before consciously forcing his jaw shut. He surveyed the young Namikaze, highly impressed.

"You clean up well. _Very _well," he sputtered out, eyeing each part and detail of and on his client as his cheeks flushed. Naruto chuckled and gave him a 360 degree pose.

"Thanks," he said happily. "And you...you look exactly the same as you always do."

"Thanks," Sasuke smiled half-heartedly in response. He was wearing his typical black slacks and matching blazer. The only difference in his appearance was the fact that his normally starch white button down shirt was now a dark blue with a black tie over it. His blazer was closed, which was also a new feature.

"So we're still arriving separately, right?" Naruto confirmed. "That way I don't show up with you and Sakura on my arms?"

"Right," Sasuke nodded. "Let's keep the focus on Sakura as your date for the evening."

"Okay, good. So I'll leave now and go pick up Sakura, and Jiraiya said that your date Ino will meet you at the gallery. You finish getting ready and then I'll meet you there?"

Sasuke nodded quietly in reply. Naruto frowned at the silence resonating from his beloved bodyguard before he walked towards him, beckoning him for a hug. Sasuke welcomed the strong arms around him and they simultaneously went in for a kiss. Sasuke tried to peck him, but Naruto wrapped his fingers in the Uchiha's dark tresses and held him close.

"You look really good tonight, Sasuke." He kissed him again.

"So do you," Sasuke returned the kiss.

Naruto's head collapsed onto Sasuke's shoulder and he hugged him tighter. Sasuke wrapped his arms around the blonde and squeezed him tightly, as if this were the last hug he'd ever get out of the Namikaze. Naruto's nuzzled his nose into the contributor's neck and up his jaw until he met his ear where he whispered, "I wish you were my date tonight." Sasuke had no reply, only guilt in the form of a tight, everlastingly short hug. They kissed once more and then Naruto departed to pick up his date.

Sasuke stood motionless for a long time. He traced every assumed-step of Naruto's throughout the house and out the front door.

Tonight.

Sasuke turned and faced the window and watched as Naruto's limousine was ignited and the engine came to a roar. He watched the dark figure of his chauffeur open the back door to await it's passenger.

He had to tell him. He couldn't _not _tell him. He wouldn't. It was scary and it'd mean Sasuke would never be the same afterward, but life without Naruto ever knowing the truth? He couldn't picture that. And he never wanted to.

"Naruto," he muttered. "Naruto." Sasuke raced out of the bedroom and into Naruto's suite, passing his den and his bedroom. He fled down the stairs in fast paced steps. He raced down the first flight of stairs and across the long, endless hallway of the second floor. "Naruto!" He called, breathless. He made it to the top of the staircase and sprung over the balcony, landing on his sturdy feet, twenty feet below his jump. He swung open the front door.

"Naruto, wait!"

Sasuke watched lovelessly as the limousine pulled out of the driveway, with Naruto in the backseat.

* * *

><p>Naruto twirled his thumbs and checked the chrome watch shining on his wrist. It was his special occasion watch; he only wore it when his mother dragged him out and demanded that he shower and smell nice and wear fancy clothing and smile wide to impress his dad's clients and contributors. Basically, he only wore it when he was least excited about something.<p>

Naruto hated events. Normally, after being invited to this gala event, he would have dug his heels in and refused to go, only showing up late and tipsy after many begging and pleading sessions with his godfather. And, on the rare occasion that he did show up, he hated every moment of it and started a fight or made a scene to keep himself entertained or remind his family why he shouldn't have been there in the first place. But tonight? Tonight was different. Tonight he was nervous.

It wasn't the pretty, scary-eyed date with Sakura that made him nervous. It wasn't the fact that a hundred or so rich, snotty people would be there for the unveiling of his painting (which, admittedly, was a bit intimidating to him, despite the fact they wouldn't know he was the true artist of the canvas). It was the fact that Sasuke would be there. He wasn't a bodyguard tonight. He was a guest. He was a major artist revealing a new art piece tonight. He was Naruto's distant friend Ino's date. And there was a bitter taste in the back of his throat at the idea of his blonde friend throwing herself at him - which he knew she would. Sasuke was irresistibly gorgeous and had a charming personality to match. Ino was easily dazzled. And she was a girl, so Naruto couldn't even punch her for being all over him, either. He let out a deep throated, aggravated groan at the thought of this and replaced it with a made up scenario where Ino had a last-minute emergency and could not attend, making Sasuke dateless, single, and hopefully ready to mingle (but only with him, of course).

"Naruto-sama," his chauffeur opened the door in the driveway of Sakura's modest home. He stepped out of the limousine, brushed off the shoulder of his coat and he shakily made his way to the door. He rang the doorbell, his fingers twitching in anticipation for the night ahead. After a few moments, Sakura opened the door and greeted him with a big smile and a quick, unrequited hug.

"Naruto-kun!" He disliked the 'kun' and felt that 'sama' was far more appropriate for someone of her social standing.

"H-Hey there, Sakura," he stumbled over his words, awkwardly patting her back as she hugged him tightly. Her hug was nothing compared to Sasuke's grand embrace. If anything, it only made him crave the Uchiha more. It made him think that tonight was going to be a very long evening.

"You look dashing," she complimented, standing back and admiring her escort.

"Thanks," Naruto spoke, scratching his itchy, razor-burned jawline that he had scraped and sculpted a mere hour and a half ago.

A flicker of sanity passed through the girls eyes. "You're not going to return the compliment?" she asked threateningly, her composure stiff and calm.

Naruto's spine tingled and he gulped loudly. "You look beautiful Sakura-chan," he said meaninglessly. Her pained, thin smile was the same as Tsunade's when Jiraiya was in trouble. He didn't know how Jiraiya was able to bear getting such an often, scary face. It had to be an act of true love on his part, he presumed.

Naruto took her hand as he had seen his father do from time to time and brought her down to the car. She slid in first and Naruto after her. The chauffeur slammed the door on the two of them and they were alone, separated from the world by multiple glass windows, which Naruto saw as some cruel and unusual prison, far worse than any real prison that he had been encased by.

Sakura inspected the limousine carefully, trying to hide a look of wonder on her face. From the state of her home, Naruto assumed she was born from a meek family and judged her harshly on her self-done hair and makeup and cheap red kimono with frayed, satin edging. Great. Not only would Naruto be forced to watch Ino (and probably other girls at the soiree) fawn over _his _Sasuke, but now he'd have to try to hide the shame and embarrassment he felt at standing beside someone of a lower class. Someone who could never get into an event like this unless she was a hired help. Why did he let Tsunade set him up with one of her _apprentices_'s? He didn't know anymore.

"So," she spoke curtly. "Where's your bodyguard tonight?" she asked, looking around with a hopeful eye. So she liked him too, then. Naruto slumped down grumpily and crossed his arms.

"He'll be there," he muttered rudely.

"You shouldn't slouch, Naruto-kun. It's bad for your posture," she struck his shoulder harshly and he scooted farther away from her and looked out the window. He wondered what Sasuke was doing at this moment.

Knowing the Uchiha, he would be there early. He'd beat Naruto to the gallery and be one of the many spectator's watching as the Hokage's son entered a black-tie event with an informal female on his arm. Knowing the Uchiha, he'd make his way around the gallery, dancing from group to group and charming all of them with witty comments and clever comebacks and funny jokes. Knowing the Uchiha, he'd put Naruto in a good mood, while simultaneously being able to make him heatedly jealous for impressing so many people in such a small space. He'd steal the show. Especially after he revealed his painting for the first time. Everyone would love him. Everyone loves him. Naruto was included on that list. Naruto topped that list.

"You know, Naruto-kun," Sakura began. Her back was straight in her red kimono with matching chopsticks holding the bun in her hair together. "You picked me up late. The gallery opening begins at 7 pm, it's almost 6:45 now. We'll never make it on time," she said matter-of-factly.

Naruto's eyes slid over to the corner of his face, not dignifying her with anything but his profile. He replied but slouching down further in his seat. He lazily crossed his legs and continued to stare blankly out the window. He heard a "Hmph!" from Sakura, which made him feel a little bit better. He always thought it was annoying when Sasuke nagged him about being on time. Now he realized how cute it was when he did it.

Naruto and his date arrived to the next art gallery twenty past seven. The grandiose glass building was filled with people, all wearing long gowns and black suits and fine jewelry. The clean white walls were covered in large murals and canvases of beautiful sceneries and abstracts. In the center of the large room was a single setup wall with a big, long canvas hung on it, with a red drape over it and spotlights shining down on it, hiding it from the world while illuminating it as well. It was Sasuke's painting. The stereotypical ANBU agents were stationed on the roof and at every entrance, all bowing ceremonially as Naruto passed them blindly. He spotted Tsunade first, whom was in a nice, cream colored gown and a bright smile, which was rare for her. She was standing beside her assistant, Shizune, who was equally as happy and proud as Tsunade seemed to be. Sakura latched onto Naruto's arm (much to his dislike) and waved down Tsunade, calling her name loudly and inappropriately. Naruto hid his face from the guests as she brusquely dragged him across the floor to greet her mentor, having to stop every few moments for one of his father's investors or high-profile friends to marvel over his attendance.

"Good evening Tsunade-sensei," she bowed respectfully.

"Good evening Sakura," she said kindly. "Naruto."

Naruto waved laxly in reply and chuckled nervously, his eyes prodding around the room. He felt as if every eye was on him and his date, judging him harshly. He felt like a spectacle. He wanted Sasuke to be there.

The three women discussed their attire and the scenery for a few minutes, leaving Naruto completely out of the conversation. He spent those quiet, peaceful moments drowning out female prattle and scanning the surrounding environment for the nearest bar in the joint.

"So, Naruto," Tsunade caught his attention. "Where's Sasuke? I haven't seen him yet. I'm so thrilled to hear that he's revealing a new painting here tonight," she told Naruto. "He's so talented, isn't he?" she asked rhetorically, as if she had ever seen his talents before. Clearly she hadn't, otherwise she'd know that he can't paint to save his life.

"Yeah, he is," Naruto smiled nicely at the thought of Sasuke attempting to paint. It immediately brought back the warm memories of the time they wrestled in the art room, their fists and kicks turning into licks and kisses before becoming more. "I'm sure he'll be here any minute," he assured her, trying to shake the smile from his face. Sakura caught his random, misplace joy and shot him a questioning look, of which he ignored totally.

'But he should already be here,' he thought to himself. Naruto excused himself and walked away, searching for the Uchiha.

-NSNSNSNS-

Naruto's pace had picked up immensely and he was now swiftly storming about the gallery, trying not to bump into people or paintings. His shoulder accidentally slammed into an old woman's and he turned his neck to apologize before smashing into a large back. Naruto bounced off and fell to the floor with a grunt.

Jiraiya turned around, his face beat red. He instinctively grabbed Naruto's hand to lift him up.

"I'm so, so sorry sir," he spoke hurriedly. Jiraiya made eye contact with Naruto before dropping his hand, Naruto falling back to the floor. "Oh, it's just you. Watch where you're going, kid!" Surrounding guests looked horrified and all whispered to the person standing beside them, seeing the gallery owner and gala host not only drop a guest, but probably the most imperative guest at the event. Although he was a delinquent, he was the son - and therefore seen as the eyes and ears - of the Hokage, Minato Namikaze. He was important. And, no matter what he or his actions did to them, their children, or their personal lives, the people of Konoha had loyalty and love for their leader that spilled over as loyalty and love for his son.

Naruto helped himself up and rubbed his sore ass. "Thanks, man," he spat sarcastically in a short, soft tone. "I was just looking for you, anyway."

"You're looking for me?"

"Yeah," Naruto confirmed, looking around. "Have you seen Sasuke? I haven't seen him yet tonight."

Jiraiya looked around for himself before shaking his head. "Haven't seen or heard from him since a few hours ago, now that I think about it. But don't worry, guests are still pouring in, he's not late. He'll be here soon." Naruto could tell that Jiraiya had had a drink, otherwise he would have been a nervous wreck at the thought of his art contributor being late.

"It's an hour into this thing," Naruto reminded him. "When does he present his painting?"

"Ten pm," Jiraiya told him. "He's got almost three before he has to show up." Naruto slung his head back in captured defeat. He looked around sadly. "You alright, Naruto? It's not a big deal, go get a drink or talk to your friends or something."

"I know, I know," he breathed. "It's just...it's just nothing."

"Wanna talk about it?" Jiraiya asked blankly.

Naruto shook his head. "No, it's fine-"

"Good, because I don't have time for this. Good evening Danzo-san! So glad you could make it tonight!" Jiraiya slapped Naruto on the back before scurrying off to greet his guests.

"Tell me if you see him!" Naruto called.

"Ask his date where he is!" Jiraiya called back as he hurried off. "She's over there," Jiraiya pointed to a corner in the gallery before turning his back completely on Naruto and walking away. Naruto rolled his eyes before making his way to said corner.

* * *

><p>Naruto checked his watch for the fourth time in a three minute period. He groaned louder each time he looked down at his wrist, seeing that time was moving slowly as his legs twitched up and down vehemently on the barstool on which he was sitting. It was closing in on nine pm, and he had yet to see Sasuke. The only thing Naruto had found that night was the bartender, who was making sure Naruto's glass was always healthy and substantial.<p>

After leaving Jiraiya, Naruto searching halfheartedly for Ino, whom he truthfully didn't want to run into tonight. If she was with Sasuke, he didn't want to know. So instead of finding the corner in which she was probably busy gossiping in with all of her friends, he found the bar.

He looked around the perimeter of the room periodically, standing up on the highest bar of his chair and surveying the gallery to see if he could spot that satin black hair of Sasuke's. Each time he checked, he failed to find any familiar face except for Sakura's, who was sending him daggers every time they made eye contact. This time that they met eyes, he saw her as she began to storm towards her, pushing her way through the crowds of people all around, marveling at Jiraiya's art work. Naruto quickly whipped back down into his seat, snatched his glass of vodka and escaped from the bar, his tipsy feet stumbling beneath him.

"Naruto-kun!" He recognized the shrill, girly voice and felt a feminine hand latch onto the back of his neck and pull his hair. He stumbled back and threw his palm over the open glass of vodka, not wanting to spill even one drop of it.

"What!" he whined loudly, turning around to face Ino.

"Where's my date?" she asked pointedly. "I was told to meet him here _two hours _ago! What kind of friend is this that you're trying to set me up with? Clearly not one of marrying material."

"He's definitely _not _marrying material and _I'm _not setting you up with him," he corrected her bitterly. "And I don't know where he is, I was just about to try and find you to ask you the same thing!"

Ino looked him up and down with uncertainty. Naruto stuck his tongue out at her and she grabbed it and pulled until he squeaked and squirmed and swatted her hand away.

"Should you be drinking that?" she asked mistrustfully, pointing at the glass of vodka.

"Mind your own business," he mumbled and walked away in search of Sasuke, gulping half of the drink down in one fell swoop.

* * *

><p>It was 9:40 and Naruto found himself on the verge of wasted, sitting outside of the gallery smoking a cigarette on the sidewalk. He was staring down at the street as taxi cars sped by, honking and humming as they did so. He was on his fifth cigarette and halfway through his second glass of vodka since seeing Ino and he was no closer to finding Sasuke than he was when he first arrived at the gala. The sidewalk was begin to twist and spin ever so slightly and the alcohol in his brain left a white, hazy rim around everything. Every few moments he had to straighten up awkwardly in paranoia that he was falling over.<p>

Half of him had given up on finding Sasuke. Sasuke ditched. He didn't want to go, he didn't want to present the painting, and he was standing up Naruto and Tsunade and Jiraiya and Ino and everyone else in the gallery. In retrospect, Naruto should have listened to what Sasuke was telling him last week when he told Naruto that it wasn't his painting to present. Naruto blew him off, but he should have listened. And now he was given no option but to listen. He was given no option but to present the painting for him. And he didn't want to. He wanted Sasuke to get all of the credit. He deserved it. Well, he _did _- until he screwed everyone over by not showing up tonight.

Naruto clutched the cigarette stick between his two fingers. He couldn't believe Sasuke would do this. The King of Timeliness and Professionalism and Loyalty. The King of Not Showing Up. What an asshole. Naruto's face twisted into an angry grimace.

"Naruto," he heard a familiar voice call for him from behind. He turned around slowly to match the speed of the vodka racing through his veins. "Come here for a moment, please." Jiraiya's voice was calm and hushed, with the underlying theme of panic. Naruto put out his cigarette and followed his godfather back inside the gallery and into an unused hallway.

"What is it?"

"Sasuke's a no-show," he stated.

"_Obbbviously_," he slurred. Naruto threw his arm up on the wall and leaned against it. Jiraiya's brow knitted in a suspicious, low-key kind of boiling fury.

"You're drunk," it was intended to be a question but it came out as a derogatory comment.

"Only a little bit," Naruto admitted, shuffling his feet drunkenly. He smiled crookedly at his godfather who looked more and more displeased as the seconds ticked by.

"Naruto," he breathed heavily and leaned in so that no one could hear his upcoming words. "This night is turning into a disaster!" he engaged in a hushed whisper. "All I've done all night is stand around telling all of my guests about my up and coming surprise artist revealing a painting tonight and he didn't even show up! Now I can't even have you present it because you're wasted! What am I going to do!?"

Naruto blinked a few times, his neck viscerally lurching back every few moments from the weight of his heavy head. After a long pause of silence on his part Jiraiya groaned and threw his hands up in the air in defeat.

"You're not helping!" he meant it to be a whisper but it was loud and booming. "Help me out here!"

"What do you want me to do about it?" Naruto asked icily. "This isn't my cup of tea. It's not my painting, it's not my gallery, it's not my problem."

"It's _your _bodyguard, it _is_ your problem!"

"_I _never even wanted him here! So don't drag me into this!" Naruto pointed at him disrespectfully. "I'm outta here," he cracked his neck and turned to leave, his angry fists balled up.

"Don't do this to me, kid, not here, not now."

"Leave me alone Jiraiya. Don't scream at me and then ask for my help. You'll never get it that way."

Jiraiya snorted. "When you're drunk? I'll never get anything from you in that state, even if I pay you."

Naruto turned on his heel to face him. "You know what? You're not the only one having a shitty night, here. I didn't even want to come. I was forced to come with some peasant female who the ANBU would shoot down instantly if she hadn't come in on _my _arm, my bodyguard was supposed to be on a date with one of the most annoying girls I know, _and _he didn't even show up _and _he lied to me! So don't act like the victim here!"

"This isn't about you! It's about me! For once in your life could you stop pretending that the world revolves around you? This is my big night! This was my shot!"

"You're already a successful artist and gallery owner, Jiraiya! Don't act like this is about you when it's about Sasuke ditching you! Well guess what, he ditched me too! So don't come crying to me for help!"

Jiraiya stormed towards Naruto and grabbed his shoulder forcefully. "Naruto, listen to me-"

"Don't touch me!"

Maybe it was the alcohol buzzing through his head. Maybe it was because he had misplaced anger at Sasuke that made him do it. Maybe it was because, at the root of it, this is what Naruto did. This is who Naruto was. He was a fighter. But regardless of the reason, the blood boiled from Naruto's heart and pumped through all of his veins and he found his fist raising up and meeting Jiraiya's jaw in a wrist-crackling punch. Jiraiya stumbled backwards and hit his back to a wall.

"Don't you ever touch me," he repeated, his breath wheezing. He sidestepped and hit his hip against the wall in a drunken stupor. The white shadow glazing over everything in his vision became more saturated and caused everything to be even harder to visualize. "Nothing gives you that right," he told him.

Jiraiya's hand cupped his bloody, scratched jawline and he looked at his godson with disgust and disappointment and surprise. He had never seen his godson in a fight. He always considered that a fortune, that during each occasion he was not present. And now he was facing off with him, his most prized possession. His best friend. His favorite person. Staring him down with hooded eyes and an arrogant smirk on his lips.

"Don't make me teach you a lesson, Naruto. Not here. Not now," he begged threateningly. Naruto's fist met the palm of his other hand and he smiled beckoningly at Jiraiya.

Jiraiya charged full force at Naruto and slammed his body into Naruto's, his shoulder cramming into the blonde's gut and sending him flying through the air. Naruto crashed into the double doors leading to the open gallery full of people and he landed on the floor beneath the feet of many of the higher ups, including Tsunade.

"Naruto," she whispered desperately, her eyes as wide as saucers. "You've got to be kidding me," she spoke incredulously.

"Learn your place!" she heard her husband shout as he approached the doorway he had just slammed his godson into. "And don't you ever put your hands on me again-"

Naruto was up in the air and punching him in the jaw once more, in the same spot he had hit before. Before Jiraiya was able to react he threw him to the floor and straddled him, punching him in the face again and again until a bloody mess was on his fists. He was sure he could hear the gasps and cries of panic and horror from the guests, but he wasn't sure and he didn't care to double-check in the moment.

Suddenly Jiraiya was in the air and grabbed Naruto by the nape of his neck and his ankle and threw him into the air. He fell against a painting and it shattered to the floor on top of the Namikaze, the gold-painted frame around it shattering and coming apart.

"Jiraiya!" Tsunade shouted. But he didn't listen. He could barely hear her, let alone see her. He couldn't see any guests, any paintings. His eyes were beaten and bruised so well that they had already began to swell and he literally could not see. But he could see red. And he could see his rotten godson Naruto Namikaze.

Jiraiya dangerously trotted towards the blonde who was back on his feet and in a fighting position. He instantly lunged at Jiraiya who reacted quickly and carefully, grabbing the boy's arm and lifting him off of his feet unsteadily. Naruto grabbed his long, white hair and pulled harshly until Jiraiya's cried out and dropped him. Naruto dragged him to the floor with his hair and his godfather wrestled him around, elbows and fists and kicks flailing into harsh, painful blows. He was bigger and older and Naruto was swifter and more experienced in fighting, but his rage and slight embarrassment for fighting at his gallery opening made his abilities equal to that of the very un-sober opposition.

Naruto and Jiraiya rolled and wrestled, violently clawing and punching until both were scraped and bleeding and bruised and their suit jackets were messy and torn with splotches of one another's blood on them.

Guests were crawling and craving to escape their path of destruction. They were shrieking and running, but no one took their eyes off of the two fighters. It was like a fire or a bad car accident: interesting and terrifyingly breathtaking. Impossible to turn your back on.

And then suddenly it ended. Suddenly men were grabbing and pulling Jiraiya from Naruto. Suddenly Naruto was being slammed against a wall, head first and the jolt of pain rushing through his crown sobered him up enough to hear his rights being read off to him as handcuffs clasped around his wrists. He saw the shine of red and blue flashing lights from outside the gallery's glass walls and looked down to see Jiraiya still struggling on the ground as two officers held him down and another hand cuffed him. In a moment of adrenaline, he and his godfather made eye contact and all he could whisper to him was "I'm so sorry."

* * *

><p>So I know many of you don't read the author's note, but for anyone reading, I was wondering if you would be interested in reading another NS story from me? I have a few ideas for some popping into my head that I'm writing down and outlining but I just wanted to see if any of you would give my writing the time of day after this story is at an end? Please let me know!<p>

R&R please!


	13. Sasuke is Sasuke For A Reason

Chapter Thirteen: Sasuke is Sasuke for a Reason

Naruto sat on the hard, metal cot. It was precariously attached to the concrete wall behind him with a metal bunk bed above him just inches from him slamming his head against if he wasn't careful. Naruto slumped over, his elbows resting on his knee and his lazy head being held up by his palm. Outside of his cramped and overly gray cell were countless other cells, all peopled by various different criminals and vagrants, all with the same orange jumpsuit on. Naruto used to sneer at this awful orange jumpsuit but not anymore. The color was starting to grow on him, if not at least look good on him - weird.

Naruto laid back on the thin, uncomfortable pillow of his small cot, his legs still dangling over the side of the bed. He was too tall to fit on the cot, and it seemed like every time he was forced to reside in this cell the cot got smaller and smaller. And yet, still, it was the least of his problems. The normal, typical, average 22-year-old would say it's problematic to be in jail. But, as Naruto knew, he was _not _the average 22-year-old. He was Naruto Namikaze, who had spent so much time in prison this past year that the officers kept giving him the same cell each time (he was almost certain that they reserved it for him this time).

It wasn't the fight that had him ticked off. It wasn't the fact that his father wasn't in Konoha so he couldn't bail him out (although if he _were_ to come bail him out it would only serve to irritate him more). It wasn't even the fact that his lowlife, flaky, hypocrite of a bodyguard-turned-lover completely and totally bailed on the art gallery the night before. No, it was the fact that he dragged his godfather down with him. The godfather who was in the cot above him, pretending to sleep but secretly torturing himself and waging an internal war on himself for making such a scene on his big night, his night to impress.

Naruto didn't know what was going to happen to his gallery. He didn't know how bad it was. His head was pounding from the alcohol slowly leaving his system and giving him a massive hangover. All he knew was that he was worst person in the entire world - actually, the second worst person, right after Sasuke Uchiha.

"Jiraiya?" Naruto's voice cracked apologetically.

After a few long moments that ended up feeling like hours, Jiraiya replied. "You don't have to say it kid," he breathed loudly. "It's not your fault."

"Are you drunk? Of course this is all my fault, Jiraiya," he stumbled quickly, his words spilling over one another. To his parents, he was never emotional. But Jiraiya pulled on his heartstrings. He knew of his godfather's struggles, his hopes and dreams. And he crumbled at the thought of destroying everything Jiraiya stood for. "I am so, so sorry," he said, burying his hands in his face. Jiraiya's long arm stretched over the cot and affectionately scratched his godson's head.

"I know you are," he whispered.

Normally in prison, Naruto played a personality with whimsy. He was nonchalant and cavalier, always benevolently chattering with the officers as they took his information and pat him down. He was never a trouble-maker once in trouble, and he was polite and respectful to those above him. The officers of the Konoha Prison knew a better side to Naruto than most citizens did, and these officers had a bittersweet, love-hate relationship with seeing him here. They hated to see him come, loved to have him here, and loved it even more when he was able to leave.

But this time, he was not happy. He wasn't disrespectful, but he was certainly not happy. He was in shambles. He was ashamed and humiliated and felt like crying. And as he buried his face in his hands, the only thing keeping him together was the hand of his godfather on his head, consoling him wordlessly.

Footsteps clattered down the concrete hallways. One of the footsteps was high-heeled, which could only mean one thing: Tsunade.

Naruto and Jiraiya bolted up from the cot and gave each other worried, fearful glances. Both would have preferred to rot in prison for the rest of the month until Minato came home to free them than to be freed by Tsunade - she'd kill them both, leaving no trace of murder behind her. She could kill them right in front of the prison warden and leave no evidence pointing to her as the murderer. She would be angry and indignant and she was a cold-hearted killer. At times like these, Naruto wondered if she had Uchiha blood in her, swearing that she could do it better than any other clansmen.

Two officers walked around the corner, followed by Sasuke. Naruto and Jiraiya's faces shifted from fear to brave anger almost instantly. Tsunade rounded the corner after him and their faces jumped back to fear. Her eye makeup was smeared as if she had been crying and she wore no lipstick, which was a rare sight. She was still in her evening dress from the night before. Naruto clutched onto Jiraiya's forearm.

One of the officers unlocked the cell and stepped aside. "Your bails have been paid, you're both free to go," he said. After a small pushing match towards the door, Naruto forced Jiraiya out first and into the face of Tsunade, who immediately pinched his nose between her long fingernails and whispered explicitly in his ear, her little words like knives. Naruto walked out and said farewells to the two well-known officers.

The walk from the cellblock to the front door was quiet aside from the high-heeled clicking on the concrete floors. Tsunade stormed her way towards the door, never looking back at either of the prisoners once. Naruto and Jiraiya marched alongside one another, with Sasuke behind them.

Once outside, there were two cars waiting, engines purring in the morning glaze. One was Tsunade's car, the other Naruto's limousine.

"Wait…" Naruto trailed off. "You guys are leaving me?"

"Jiraiya and I have some things to discuss in privacy," Tsunade's lips slithered into a twisted smile. "We'll see you both later." She forcefully grabbed Jiraiya and clawed her way to her car, shoving Jiraiya in the passenger's side and speeding away.

Naruto threw his face into his palm. He felt the stare of Sasuke standing beside him and ignored him, making his was to the limousine, his chaffeaur patiently waiting by the car door to let him in.

"You haven't heard anything from my parents, have you?" he asked the driver in a hushed tone.

"Nothing, sir," he spoke softly in reply. Naruto patted the man's forearm in thanks and climbed in, Sasuke following behind. The car door shut, leaving Naruto trapped with his now-hated bodyguard.

Naruto stared out the car window angrily, feeling Sauske's everpresent, unwanted gaze on him for a majority of the car ride. After many long minutes passed by, Naruto shot him a glare.

"Stop staring at me," he snapped. He folded his arms against his chest protectively and returned to staring out the window.

"I can't," Sasuke replied.

"Too bad. Don't look at me."

Sasuke, unable to ignore his client's commands twice over, sighed hopelessly and began to stare out his own window. It felt as if hours passed by, getting from the jail to Naruto's home. Seconds ticked by like days. The view was ugly and unenjoyable to him. He didn't marvel at anything. He didn't look up at the Hokage's Monument as they passed by it. He found his fingers tapping rhythmically on his leg and his feet scuffling nonstop. He was anxious. He was upset. He didn't realize how prone to violence Naruto was. He never in a million years thought that Naruto would go to jail last night. Never. He was disappointed and he was scared and felt guilty for not being there to protect him. It was in that moment Sasuke realized that Naruto didn't need a bodyguard to protect him from others or from violence, but from himself. Sasuke flash backed to the night before, memories spilling in like the ocean's tide rising. He exhaled from his mouth audibly, the noise calming him and, secretly, Naruto as well.

The car pulled slowly into the driveway of the Namikaze Manor, each small rock crackling under the thick tires. Sasuke didn't wait for the chauffeur to let him out, although his blonde client did. And as he stepped out, he stared dead into Sasuke's eyes for the first time that day. He stared past his pupils and into his soul, his expression grave and aggravated. Although he had received many death stares from Naruto before, none had shook him to the core like this one.

The driver got back into the car and drove off, most likely to pull the car around into the garage. The sky was graying quickly and the air smelled like rain. Naruto didn't move an inch from where he was standing, and Sasuke was frozen in response to this.

"Why," Naruto sputtered blankly. His shoulders were grazing his neck and his arms flailed in exaggeration. It was instigated and anger boiled from below the surface. "Why. Why!" he shoved Sasuke back. "Why! Why!" He shoved him again. "Will you fucking answer me! Why the fucking hell would you do that! I wanna kill you right now!"

"I know," Sasuke tried to stay calm, accepting the violence as it came, as it was deserved. "Naruto-san, I am so sorry," his voice was pleading and careful.

"I don't care," Naruto stormed past him and up the stairs, his feet fast and flighty. "I just don't fucking care." He turned to face Sasuke's back, as he was still standing at the bottom of the driveway. "Because if you really were sorry, you wouldn't be saying it. You would have showed up last night. Okay? Jiraiya needed you there last night. _I _needed you there last night, Sasuke. I was so fucking excited to see you that I was scared. That I was jealous of stupid Ino Yamanaka for being your date. I wanted to cut her hair off and feed it to her because she so fucking didn't deserve to be your date! No one did! And I told you things I never told anyone else and I did things with you I've never done before and I was happy! And then you fucking did this and you ruined everything!"

Sasuke stared at the ground shamefully, his hands deep into his pockets, picking a hole in the stitching.

"Naruto-san, I have to tell you something."

"What," he said, he teeth tightening on his sore jaw.

Sasuke hesitated greatly and left a long pause looming over them like a storm cloud, which made Naruto slightly irritated. It was already bad that he was forced to wait all last night for him to show up, but now he was waiting for Sasuke again. He was always waiting for him these past few days. And as each moment passed that Sasuke stayed quiet, Naruto only felt his spine get taller, his shoulders straighter, his neck tenser, his fists digging deeper into the palm of his scrunched up hand.

"I love you."

And then it all fell quiet. The world stopped spinning. Everything on the ground and in the sky stopped moving and listened to Sasuke's tasteful, chiming words echo. A light breeze blew through Naruto's blonde hair, cooling down his heated skin. Naruto felt his back and shoulders and head and hands and legs release and relax. His jaw softened, his lips cracked open a bit. He felt time stop moving, but Sasuke kept going and turned to face him, meeting him halfway up the stairs.

"Sasuke?" he stuttered out into a whisper. Sasuke's eyes met his carefully and sweetly. He was visibly uncomfortable, nervous even. Naruto let out a breath of relief as their eyes met.

"I love you, Naruto," he spoke again, his words stronger this time, more emphatic.

Naruto stayed silent, his brain in complete shock. His words were racing through his mind, jumbling up and mixing around so much that even if he had a voice, he'd be unable to utter any actual words without sounding like nonsense.

Naruto tried to form sentences in his head that were coherent, but the first one to come out was, "Why didn't you go to the gallery last night then?"

Sasuke looked up at Naruto solemnly. He shook his head sensitively. "Dont ask me that, Naruto-san," he shook his head and toyed with his fingers in the palm of his hand. He looked mousey and small and unusual. His skin was alabaster and sallow and Naruto knew why he didn't go to the gallery last night: because he loved him. Because he was hiding it from him and the truth was eating him up alive. He didn't want to go to the gala event with Ino on his arm, more than Naruto didn't want to see him there with her. He wanted to go with Naruto. He didn't want to see Naruto with Sakura. Naruto saw everything in perspective now. He understood it all now.

_Sasuke loved him._

"This is why you've been acting so strange lately, then?" Naruto asked quietly.

Sasuke looked away with a huff and shoved his hands in his pockets. He was wearing the same dress attire he was wearing the night before. This indicated to Naruto that he had every intention in going to the event, but in the end, couldn't bring himself to go. He looked as though he didn't want to discuss it any further, and Naruto backed off. He didn't want to push Sasuke any further. Sasuke loved him, that was enough.

After accepting and comprehending all of Sasuke's thought processes from the night before, a sudden smile crept onto Naruto's face, first slowly and then all at once. He let out a happy laugh and traipsed down the steps and grabbed Sasuke by the shoulders, pulling him into a tight bear hug, all vengeance leaving his body in that moment. Sasuke, reluctant at first, returned the favor, his hands clasping around Naruto's waist. He rested his chin on Naruto's shoulder, who, standing a step above him, was finally tall enough to do so. He then buried his rued face into Naruto's neck.

"Oh, Sasuke," he said dreamily. "You should've spoke up!"

He knew what Naruto meant, but, unfortunately, Naruto had no idea what he meant.

* * *

><p>It was a day or so before it was exactly a week until Naruto's parents would arrive home. It was nearing the end of Sasuke's initial stay, but Naruto wasn't concerned. In fact, he was almost excited. He knew better; he knew the consequences that would come from his actions. It was the silver lining of the entire situation.<p>

Sasuke was sitting in his room on the floor, going through Naruto's records and his mission assignment. He had seen the papers hundreds of times, staring down at it, memorizing every word on every page. He knew this file better than the back of his own hand. And he hated every piece of lettering in that evil, hateful manila folder.

"Hey, you," he heard Naruto leap into his room and collapse onto his neatly-made bed. He lay on his stomach, his eyes facing out the bedroom window onto the driveway, the sky threatening to drizzle the earth with rain.

"Good morning," Sasuke sighed and shut the folder with a snap and dug it back into his bag. He knew Naruto was nosy, and wanted nothing less than for Naruto to ever get his hands on that folder. He tucked it into the secret compartment of his bag and twisted his seating position around to face his blonde cohort. He pulled the sleeves of his sweater over his hands in a discomforted reaction.

Sasuke wasn't exactly in the mood to be seeing Naruto. That isn't to say he didn't want to - he always wanted to see Naruto - but he knew he shouldn't. He felt somewhat like a masochist for being in his house still, for not running when he had the chance, for continuously having sex with his client, for letting Naruto lay out on his bed like a cat, his chin resting into the same pillow his head rest on at night. He was a glutton for punishment, and, while he accepted that about himself, he despised it.

Sasuke searched the profile of Naruto's face for some outlook. His lips, his chiseled jawline, his straight nose with a single point on the end, his tanned skin and cerulean eyes and yellow-blonde hair. He hated how good Naruto looked in a simple, worn-in, brown cotton t-shirt. He hated how far away he was, too. He wish he was farther away, in actuality.

Sasuke turned back around and lifted out the bottom drawer of his dresser and began picking the neatly folded clothes out of it. He began to roll them up to fit them in his black suitcase. Naruto watched, his head lazily resting in his hand.

"I don't know why you're packing," he said, smacking his lips in boredom. "I got arrested. My parents are never going to let me out of a bodyguard's sight ever again," he told him. "Get used to it: you're stuck with me."

"What are you talking about?" he whispered mutely.

"My dad said I'd be done with bodyguards at the end of the month if I stayed out of trouble. Well, I didn't. So you won't be going anywhere. You're my bodyguard for life now. Sorry, buddy." The musing, romantic smile on his curved lips told Sasuke that he wasn't nearly as sorry as he said he was - or at all.

"How do you know it's going to be me?" his voice was unsounding and emotionless in reply, dampening the Namikaze's smile.

Naruto watched him finish rolling up his pile of clothes and placing them delicately into his bag before he replied. "Because you're already here and you're already my bodyguard."

"You were arrested under my eye. Even worse, you were arrested under my _unwatchful _eye. I should have been there. I should have been paying attention to you. I did not do my job correctly. If anything, it's my fault you were arrested," Sasuke said.

"How do you figure? I blame the alcohol, personally," Naruto replied ambitiously.

"Well it's clear your parents don't trust you, correct?" he asked rhetorically, refolding a gray t-shirt that didn't look quite right to him. "They don't expect you to behave. So they hired me. They expected me to keep you in line and watch out for you. I failed them. So why would they keep me around and ask me to continue looking out for you, when I obviously don't do a good job of it?"

Naruto looked around dumbly. "I dunno," he mumbled. He was slightly confused as to why Sasuke was even saying such nonsense. "But you're already my bodyguard and you're already here, so why leave?"

Sasuke ceased all motion and looked down at the hands folded in his lap self-consciously. He gnawed on his bottom lip, and Naruto felt as if he were refusing to look at him. In a new moment, Sasuke's face popped up.

"Have you talked to your mother yet?" he asked, already knowing the answer full well. He sprung up onto his feet and took some supplies of his off of the dresser and dropped them into the bag, one by one.

Naruto shook his head. "Nope, not yet," he admitted. "It's got me a little worried, actually."

"You think something happened to them," Sasuke assumed stately. He gave Naruto a suspicious red glare.

"What? No, no, not like that," he replied quickly and Sasuke shot an expression away from him. "Just that my mother usually hears about stuff like this pretty quickly. I'm just surprised I haven't gotten a loud, angry phone call about how rotten of a child I am, that's all. It's unlike her," he explained, staring into space.

And it _was_ unlike Kushina. Even when Minato was so disappointed in his son to the point of silence, Kushina never seemed to be able to shut up. In fact, it seemed as though the angrier she got, the louder she got. The only time Kushina had given Naruto the silent treatment was when he was fifteen. He snuck out of school one day to peep at girls in the bath houses with Jiraiya. He ended up trying to jump the fence to the outdoor pool and broke his leg and was caught by Kurenai Yuuhi, one of his fathers investors. Kushina was more humiliated than angry, though. Naruto always figured that that's why she stopped talking to him that week. She felt disgraced. But this time? This time deserved an angry phone call. And as every moment passed that he didn't receive a phone call, Naruto's anxiety twisted more and more into his gut, leaving him with a nauseous feeling.

Maybe Sasuke was right. Maybe they blamed _him_ for the debacle and were waiting to yell at him in person. Or worse - fire him. Naruto swallowed that thought away; they loved Sasuke too much to fire him so easily. Right?

"Maybe she hasn't heard about the whole thing yet," Sasuke suggested.

"Doubt that," Naruto snorted. "My dad's beloved citizens _live _for getting me into trouble. They're a bunch of tattle tales," he spoke sarcastically, picking at a live-in stain on his old cotton shirt. "Why else would one of them call the cops in the first place?"

"Well," he reasoned. "You _were _in the middle of a fist fight at a grand gallery opening. That could be why."

Naruto rolled his eyes. He didn't believe in those kinds of reasons.

"I can't imagine that she's scarier than Tsunade, though," he told his client. "You shouldn't worry too much. Maybe she's just busy now. If anything, count it as a blessing."

Naruto mused, his lips pursed tightly. "Yeah, Tsunade is definitely scarier than my mom."

"I know," Sasuke emphasized, his pupils dilating. "I found that out the hard way last night."

Naruto sat up from his comfortable position on the bed. "No kidding? She get'cha last night?" he asked, almost enthused about the whole thing, which unsettled Sasuke.

"Yeah," he chewed on his inner cheek. "She clocked me good for missing the gallery opening. She blames me for the fight," he told him. "I blame me, too." He added, after a long, thoughtful pause.

"Don't," was all that Naruto replied with. He lifted himself up off of the bed and swayed his way over to Sasuke. He nicely draped his arms over Sasuke's knotted shoulders and hugged him lightly. Sasuke hesitated in returning the hug for a few seconds, before giving into the blonde's warm chest.

"Well," he sighed. "Whenever it is that I end up talking to my mom," he said, "I know I'll be stuck with you forever." He leaned away so he could examine Sasuke's face. Naruto's eyes were tired and sunken in, but happily blessed to know Sasuke would be around. Sasuke looked back shiftily and pale, but Naruto didn't seem to notice the hesitation his bodyguard was marinating in. He dragged Sasuke back in to complete their hug.

* * *

><p>The next morning Sasuke woke up inside of Naruto's embrace. They were lying on the couch, where they had consummated their love for one another the night before.<p>

The memories and the guilt and the assignment and the guilt and the pain of being Sasuke with all of his guilt all stirred and shook in his brain, marrying and giving birth to several guilty, anxious children. Sasuke felt the front of his head pounding and each move he took towards or with Naruto only served to dig his guilt further and further down into its grave. He looked over at the blonde who was holding him in his wrapped-up arms. He was sleeping soundly, his head halfway off of the couch and his mouth almost all the way open. Sasuke smiled at the sight. Naruto was a cute, sloppy sleeper.

Sasuke systematically couldn't wait to get up and begin his day and he craftily maneuvered his way out from Naruto's tight grasp and snuck downstairs to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea.

He filled the basin of the tea pot with water and placed it on the gas stove, igniting it. He popped his hands onto his hips and watched the tea pot patiently. He felt his neck pinch and twist with a knot of stress and furious nerves and he slapped a gentle palm over it to massage the gnarly spot away.

So this is what he got for what he's done. For what he has yet to do. For what he wants to do. From Sasuke's perspective, he felt as if he was damned if he did, and damned if he didn't. The unknowing decisions of which way to turn and what to do caused Sasuke to feel like he didn't belong here anymore, under any circumstances available.

He should have left when he had the chance.

It was last night and it was seven o'clock when the taxi driver arrived. Sasuke's bags were packed, his assignment over, as far as he was concerned. The tattered goodbye letter was neatly folded on his pillowcase for the Namikaze to find when he arrived home from his night of glory and gallery-speculating.

"I got it," he had told the taxi driver. The driver didn't argue and allowed him to place his own luggage in the trunk and returned to the driver's seat. Sasuke hopped into the back of the car after slamming the trunk closed, giving the mansion one last goodbye gaze.

"Where to?"

"Outside of Konoha will be fine, thank you," he told him.

It took about three hours for Sasuke to reach the outskirts of Konoha and as each hour passed he imagined what Naruto was doing. At seven pm he was dancing with Sakura and looking at pictures with her and all of their friends. By eight pm he was impressing his father's workers and cohorts and investors, making Jiraiya a proud and happy godfather. By nine pm he wouldn't be thinking about Sasuke at all, too busy in all of the managed hubbub of the night. He imagined the blonde with a glass of champagne in his hand and a group of people clouding around him, all cheerfully laughing at all of his lame, overused jokes. By ten pm he was presenting his painting and taking all of the credit that was so rightfully his to begin with. By eleven pm, he didn't even remember Sasuke's name.

And the city scape turned to the suburbs where the citizens all lived in their small villages, chartered off like clansmen. And then the suburbs turned to roads with a single lamp post every few hundred feet or so with small woodland animals scurrying across the deserted highways as they drove. And then his eyes started slowly sliding down his pupils. And then he received a phone call.

"Sasuke?"

"Tsunade-san?"

"Yes, it's me," her voice was raspy and choking back wet, sloppy tears. Sasuke perked up instantly, his sleepiness shot away.

"What's wrong?"

"It's Naruto. And Jiraiya," she cried. "They were arrested."

The world stopped moving for Sasuke. Arrested?

Arrested.

Naruto had been arrested. He was left alone to his own devices for not even a full night and he had already found himself back in prison. Back in the same lousy spot he always was in.

The taxi driver immediately turned around and Sasuke threw his head into his lap in confused rage and dismay. He didn't want to deal with this. He was supposed to be slipping away into the night as Naruto had the time of his life. In Sasuke's perfect world, Naruto was gaining praise and honor for his painting. He was falling in love with Sakura. He was forgetting who Sasuke even was.

And now? Now he was in jail. And he was ruining everything for Sasuke. His quick getaway. His master plan to leave the assignment and head home to have someone relieve him of his duty. Someone straight, hopefully. And ugly. Less attractive than Sasuke, at least. But all the same, someone Naruto could love. Could be best friends with and joke and laugh with. Someone professional who would be the kind of bodyguard Minato and Kushina would be proud of. Someone like Itachi, but certainly not him as he was already on assignment.

Sasuke arrived at Tsunade's around four am and the two discussed what had happened and why it took Sasuke so long to reach her. He told her she was taking a top secret phone call from within his clan that once disconnected from, could not retrieve again. She instantly stopped asking questions. Everyone knew to stay out of Uchiha affairs. And then she hit him across the head. And then she quickly burst into tears, pleading for his forgiveness. They arrived at the jailhouse around six am, shortly after.

And now here he was. Sasuke heard the whistle of the tea pot scream but his muscles wouldn't move to take it off of the stove. He was paralyzed in his memory, staring past the shrieking tea pot and into his pyshce. He wished he had gone through with his decision. He shouldn't have picked up Tsunade's phone call. He should have kept going. He shouldn't have cared. He shouldn't have came.

"Sasuke," Naruto's soft, scolding voice yelped and snatched the tea pot from the stove.

Sasuke snapped back into reality and looked over at Naruto.

"You have to take it off when it's ready, silly," he chuckled disapprovingly and took a cup out of the cabinet for him. He poured the water into his mug and handed it to him. "I don't know what kind of tea you want," he explained before walking away to scavenge for his own breakfast.

Sasuke stood motionless in the same position. A small voice in his head demanded that he move before Naruto sees him staring off into the distance again and began asking questions. Sasuke's arm sprung out to snatch a tea bag and he dunked it viciously into the mug of tea, watching the clear, hot water spool out into steamy, brown liquid that carried a gentle floral scent with it.

"How did you sleep?" He asked Naruto out of casualty.

"Great," he smiled blearily. "I always sleep good next to you," he told him affectionately. Sasuke blushed out of fierce dismay and looked away. Naruto poured himself a bowl of cereal - greatly deviating from his ramen routine - and began chomping on the flakes. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you," he said quietly, sipping on his tea.

The two stood across the kitchen from one another, Sasuke blowing on his hot tea and Naruto scarfing down his bowl of cornflakes. He checked out Sasuke for a few moments, in his navy blue boxers and light gray v-neck shirt. He smiled pleasantly.

"You know, Sasuke, I've been thinking," he said, finishing his bowl of cereal. He wistfully crept over to his bodyguard and gingerly dragged his fingers through the male's silky, sable hair. He kissed him slowly on the lips once, and then went back in for a second, his mouth open this time.

"What have you been thinking about?" Sasuke asked softly, his lips brushing against Naruto's as he talked. Naruto smiled at the tickling sensation before kissing him again. He kissed him on the chin and on his nose and on his forehead and his eyes and his cheek and his jaw and then returned to his lips.

"I love you too."


	14. Red

YOU GUYS. We're more than halfway done with this story! WHY DIDN'T I REALIZE THIS UNTIL JUST NOW?! Ahhh, well, now you know ;)

P.S sorry for the delay...

* * *

><p>Chapter Fourteen: Red<p>

Naruto's fingers rapped heavily against the leather armrests on his father's office chair. He covered his mouth with his fingers and stared into the phone, beckoning an incoming call.

It was the end of the month.

Kushina should have called by now. Was she really waiting to see him in person? Was she harboring all of her disgust and anger at her son and sitting back, getting ready to pounce at the perfect time? Maybe, but that didn't sound like the Kushina that Naruto knew. She was never patient. It wasn't her virtue. And as days passed and he received no message or phone call from either of his parents, Naruto couldn't help but grow more worrisome. If anything, he was pleading with the silent phone, crying out for an angry, violent phone call - or _something_.

It was a week into April and the "April showers bring May flowers" curse was certainly living up to its name this year. It had been days since sunshine had shone through the towers of cumulonimbus clouds drumming throughout the sky and Naruto was beginning to wonder if he had been silently transported to Amegakure without his notice.

Much had changed for Naruto within the last few days of silence he had before his parents returned home to kick in his ass for getting arrested again. Tsunade had left Jiraiya for about a day and a half before crawling back and promising to never leave him again. Jiraiya had fallen prey to the bottle of whiskey in his apartment, but did well to stay sober enough to discuss things with Tsunade and with the citizens of Konoha, all of which were very concerned about his new gallery. But, as it stood, the gallery was open. Naruto was not allowed in it at any point of his life, a decree made by Jiraiya himself, which Naruto happily complied to. Unfortunately for Jiraiya, no one dared to enter his new gallery due to the circumstances looming around it. One the bright side, however, he did had a first gallery, which still made him enough to keep bread on the table.

And then there was Sasuke. Oh, Sasuke.

Naruto began a routine of perching himself on Sasuke's bed at night, consequently stripping off his shirt or pants (sometimes both) with the lousy, lie of a complaint about how "hot it was inside", when really he just wanted Sasuke to pay attention to him. But seldom he did. And when he did, he always made the point to make sure Naruto _knew _that whenhe was taking off his clothes, he was folding them up, and placing them in his bag to leave. And never return.

Naruto thought nothing of this, though. Admittedly, his parents' silence plagued his mind for days on end, but despite this he still thought nothing of Sasuke's behavior. Sasuke loved him, after all. And he loved Sasuke.

Although Sasuke was well-appreciated and deeply loved by Naruto and his parents (to Naruto's chagrin), he was still new in this household - and he didn't know how things worked. Naruto tried an umpteenth amount of times to reason with Sasuke.

"Stop packing," he'd order. "You're not leaving."

"They'll find a new bodyguard," Sasuke would say. "You can count on it."

He didn't understand the dichotomy between Naruto and his parents. Or even the dichotomy between himself and Naruto, really. So Naruto let it slide; soon he would see that, after his parents were done stabbing him repeatedly for going to prison while they were away, they would beg Sasuke to stay forever and watch over their rotten child for the remainder of his life. They would fall to their knees, ashamed to have such an esteemed clansmen such as himself see their terribly unruly 22-year-old child.

Naruto groaned loudly in a hyperbolic fashion, making sure his aggravation was heard by everyone working in the Hokage's Office. After receiving no phone call at home, Naruto, in paranoia, decided that his phones lines must have been disconnected and that's why his parents couldn't reach him to yell at him. So he took to his father's office, which he always enjoyed doing. It had the best view of Konoha, after all. And it made him feel like Hokage, which was never a bad feeling in his book.

"Why aren't you calling to yell at me!" He slammed his fist down in front of the phone, causing the headset piece to bounce out of its place and pop right back in. He wanted to throw the stupid thing across the room - but he refrained for obvious reasons.

"Yelling at inanimate objects again are we, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto froze in surprise at someone watching him. He whipped around in the rolling desk chair to see his favorite ANBU agent standing before him.

"Kakashi!" Naruto leapt up from his seat and hugged on tightly to Kakashi, who let out an uncomfortable sort of chortle.

"Yes, yes, I know I'm me, settle down," he awkwardly pushed Naruto back from him, plucking him with two fingers at the seam of his sweatshirt. He never liked hugs - or human contact. Normally, Naruto didn't either, except when Kakashi was around. He never got to see Kakashi. It was like being away from his big brother; their reunions were big for him.

"What's up?" Naruto asked cheerfully.

"Sadly this isn't a happy visit, Naruto," he said in a serious tone. Naruto's smile slipped from his face and was replaced with a blank puzzlement.

"What's wrong? What's going on?"

"Trouble."

-NSNSNSNS-

"What!" Naruto exclaimed. His hair fluffed in revolting anger and fear jumbling together. "No joke?"

"I'm afraid not," Chozua said gravely. Chouza Akimichi: the commander of the ANBU Black Ops. He was flanked by Kakashi and another ANBU agent that Naruto was unfamiliar with. Danzo Shimura was sitting at the end of the table, multiple seats down from the others. No one exactly knew what Danzo did for Konoha, but he was revered as someone who held a lot of power, and presumably many ANBU agents of his own, as Naruto's friend Sai worked for him. He too was flanked by two ANBU officers.

"How long have they been here," Naruto stated softly, sinking lower into the seat at the round, dark table. He was deep underground within the Black Ops regiment, in the meeting room consisting of one centered lamp and a large, circular table with many chairs, all currently vacant aside from five.

"Since early this morning," Chouza told him. "Probably about 1:33 am."

"And you're positive?"

"Yes, Naruto-sama."

Naruto fell back into his seat in disbelief.

"Sunagakure caught all of us off guard like this. Attacking us when our Hokage is off on a business trip? It was perfect timing to have their troops invade," Danzo said. "Perfectly planned."

Perfectly planned.

"Wait-" Naruto sprung from his seat, his knee knocking the metal table as he stood. "My parents are in Sunagakure! What about my parents!"

"They're surrounded by ANBU and Uchiha agents," Chouza assured him. "They'll be fine. We're more worried about-"

"When's the last time you talked to one of them!?"

"Naruto-sama!" Chouza said sternly. "We're more concerned about you. All of their troops are either hiding on the outskirts of Konoha, or heading over here now. The safest place they could be is in Sunagakure, quite frankly. It's the eye of the storm, over there. There aren't any troops left in that city to torture or kill them," he explained. "We're more worried about you."

"About _me_?" Naruto asked, pointed at himself.

"We're afraid that they'll try and hold you for ransom to get your father to do something for them, such as surrender," he told the blonde. "So we need you to stay safe."

"I have an Uchiha as a bodyguard, I'm as safe as I can be," Naruto told them. He still wasn't concerned with himself. So this is why he hadn't received a phone call from him mother? They were being trapped? They didn't want to lead Suna troops right to his feet to capture him?

"Great, excellent!" Chouza said, he smiled over at Danzo with the good news, but only received a grave expression in return from the old man. "Yes, I recall Minato-sama mentioning that at some point," he recalled mindlessly. "So where is he?" He asked, looking around, hopefully.

"Well," Naruto trailed off. "He's at home right now." He smiled sheepishly as Chouza's expression turned into a knitted, furrowed brow. He felt his shoulders creeping up.

"Currently this information has only been reported to the ANBU Black Ops. No citizen knows about what's lying ahead, however this evening we'll be sending the city into lockdown - no one is to leave. You'll be escorted home by ANBU agents. Once you're there, you are not to leave your bodyguard's presence is that understood?" Naruto nodded. "Don't even leave you're house, are we clear Naruto-sama?"

"Yes," Naruto nodded frantically. "You're really not giving me much to go on here, you know," he told him as he was escorted out by two masked agents who seemed to have come out of nowhere. He saw Kakashi innocently waving goodbye to him from the corner of his eye.

"I'm sorry Naruto-sama," Chouza said, watching him exit. "I'll let you know more when I do."

* * *

><p>Naruto stared out the window. The foliage was bursting in a wet, saturated green. The scenery outside of the car window was flashing by in quick, colorfully gray swishes as rain drops pelted onto the car window. He felt his veins throbbing from lack of circulation; his fists were clenched tightly and his hand was turning purple. But Naruto didn't notice.<p>

A never-ending train of quick thoughts flew through his mind. This was happening so suddenly. It was just this morning that he was casually laying out on his patio smoking a cigarette and talking to Sasuke. It was just this morning that Shikamaru had called him after a month of silence between the two friends (Shikamaru wasn't quite over the whole "imprisonment" spiel) and asked to go to the bar with him that Friday. It was just this morning that he had pulled on his "nice clothes" to go to the Hokage's Office to wait for a phone call there.

And now here he was, racing back to his house in the back of an ANBU vehicle, unknowing of what lay ahead of him.

Chouza said he'd tell him when he knew more, that he'd be the first person he'd tell anything to. Naruto was frantically searching his mind for any missed details he hadn't dwelled upon yet. He found none. Every detail had been thought about, overthought about, thought about again, and then picked apart until each piece of information was so small that Naruto couldn't soak up anything from them.

The vehicle took a sharp turn and Naruto's grand driveway skirted by outside of his window. The vehicle came to a grinding halt and the door was almost immediately opened and he was escorted to his front door by six masked agents. With all of the panic within the ANBU right now, Naruto felt like six was a little too much help.

"You understand your side of the bargain, correct, Naruto-sama?" one asked, opening his door for him and pushing him inside.

"Stay inside, stay near Sasuke. Got it."

"Good," the agent went to close the door but Naruto stopped him quickly.

"Wait-" he said abruptly. The agent looked at him through his beaked mask. "You'll tell me if you hear anything about my parents, right?"

"Yes, Naruto-sama." The agent shut the door quickly after responding and Naruto watched out the window as the six agents climbed back into the ANBU vehicle in uniformity, before speeding off. Naruto watched them leave and the driveway gate shut behind him before letting out a long, exasperated breath. He hadn't even realized he was holding it all in.

As he turned away to search for Sasuke, he saw the yellow flash of a taxi pull into his driveway just as the ANBU vehicle left, the steel gates swinging open instantly. Weird, the gates don't open unless you have the code or if someone rings you in.

"Sasuke!" Naruto called. "Sasuke! Something's happened!" He ran to the edge of the stairs, still spying on the yellow taxi pulling up to the front door. He wasn't sure if he was just overthinking todays events or if the taxi was full of Sunagakure troops trying to kill him, but either way, he wanted Sasuke beside him.

"Sasuke! SASUKE!" He began yelling, with no flit or tick of a response from anywhere. He looked in every direction for Sasuke, even directions he couldn't possibly come from. And then suddenly, he appeared at the top of the stairs.

Naruto sighed, relieved, loudly. He smiled wearily before realizing that Sasuke looked different.

"What's that?" He asked, eyeing the bodyguard up and down. He wasn't wearing his normal bodyguard uniform, clad in black slacks and a matching blazer with a simple white button-down underneath. He was wearing all black now. Black shorts, a black, high-collared short-sleeved shirt that hid his neck and half of his chin. He had on black arm warmers and black open-toed shoes. His suitcase was beside him. Sasuke didn't respond, but he edged his way down the rounded staircase and met Naruto face to face.

Naruto breathed out and grabbed the Uchiha into a hug. He felt a resounding crack against his collarbone and looked at Sasuke compassionately confused, his hand retracting from Naruto's space almost instantly. His look was steady and unwavering.

"What did you do that for?" he asked slowly, his feelings as hurt as his collarbone. He cradled his bone with a palm and kept his other arm safe towards his chest. Sasuke's eyes were cold and calculating. They were disconnected completely and Naruto saw that red flash again. It wasn't like the times before, where his eyes would shift a dark vermillion in a split second when he was angry. It was ever-present now, rotation along with the orbit of the earth. "What's going on, Sasuke? Sasuke we're under attack!"

"I know," he said. His voice was collected and forceful, gracious and forceful. His hand was in his pocket and the other was strapped around his suitcase.

"Well, well what are you doing?"

Sasuke looked at the taxi outside. He looked at his suitcase and exhaled. Naruto followed his gaze from the taxi to the leather bag and a look of mutinous disgust formed over his breathlessly confused face.

"_You _called for that taxi?" he asked rhetorically. "You're leaving? You're leaving at a time like this!"

"I have to."

"No you don't!" Naruto grabbed him in plea. "Sasuke what's going on! My parents are stuck in Sunagakure, that's why they haven't been calling! Suna troops have infiltrated the Fire Country and are hanging around the outskirts of Konoha, waiting to attack at any moment!"

"I know all of this, Naruto-san."

"Don't call me san!" He yelled, he felt his face getting hotter as more and more information passed through his brain. He felt like his lungs were collapsing and he found it difficult to breathe properly. He didn't know what to make of all this.

"Sasuke I need you! Where are you going?"

Sasuke breathed out in reluctancy to answer Naruto's frantic questions. And instead of replying, he simply rebutted saying, "You need to calm down. You're going to make yourself hyperventilate."

"Don't tell me what to do!" he pushed the Uchiha back who gave Naruto a look of estranged pity.

"Naruto-san-"

"It's just Naruto!"

"Naruto-san," he let out another breath, each release of oxygen looking more pained than the last. Despite his wavering breathing patterns, his face remained expressionless and his voice monotonous. "It's important that I leave straight away."

"At a time like this?" he felt his voice grow weak and crackle under the pressure of his heavy head and throbbing collar bone. He felt his bottom lip quiver.

"Yes," he said.

Naruto felt the tears well up in his eyes and he channeled a growl that echoed through the foyer. He lunged at Sasuke, shoving him back against the wall. He clutched onto his shoulder to punch him. Sasuke stealthily dodged the attack and Naruto's fist hit a wall in loud agony. Sasuke elbowed him in the back of the neck, sending his forehead forward into the wall. Naruto slid to the ground, the room spinning. He knelt down, his arms holding him up. He saw Sasuke's feet before him, spinning wildly and in a blurry, white motion. He watched as Sasuke backed up and clutched onto his suitcase and made his way to the door.

"Hey!" Naruto screamed. "I'm not done with you!" He sprinted across the foyer and tackled Sasuke to the ground. Sasuke grabbed Naruto by his muscular arms and pushed him back. He grabbed him by the waist and threw him across the room. Naruto's back slid on the tiled floor and he rolled over.

"Don't do this," Sasuke warned. "You're outmatched. I'm no longer working for you," Naruto made eye contact with the Uchiha as he felt a warm, sticky liquid drip from his forehead. It was blood. The same blood color shined in Sasuke's eyes. "If you attack me," he said steadily. "I won't hold back."

"Sasuke!" he yelled in exasperation. "Sasuke why are you doing this! Why!"

"You don't understand!"

"Talk to me!"

"No! Mind your own business!"

"Fuck you!" Naruto hopped back up on his feet and wiped his brow, the blood spilling from his cracked skull being wiped onto his forearm. Sasuke's eyes widened at the sight of this. He was relentless. He wasn't going to just lay there and accept defeat? Naruto cried out in anger and raced towards Sasuke. Sasuke got into battle position, reluctantly.

"You're too slow," he said calmly. Naruto flung a fist through the air and Sasuke grabbed his fist and sent it backwards. His wrist cracked and Naruto cried out. "This isn't a fair fight."

"No," Naruto's voice and breath were ragged and tired. He fell to his knees before Sasuke. Sasuke looked away and shut his eyes. He didn't want to see that. He couldn't see Naruto like that. "You know what isn't fair? You doing this. You leaving like this! And without telling me why!"

"It doesn't matter why!"

"Maybe it doesn't matter to you but it sure as hell matters to me!" Naruto defended. He felt tears spill out of his eyes. He cracked. Sasuke looked up and shut his eyes again. He especially didn't want to see Naruto like _that_. "Why Sasuke? Why!?" His breath clogged up with phlegmy tears as his eyes and nose poured out. "Why are you doing this?" He fell forward and rested his bloody forehead on his tattered arms, bowing before Sasuke's feet. "Why," he choked out sobbingly. Sasuke watched quietly, his face flickering with concern before regaining it's emotionless expression. Naruto asked him why again.

"I...I've had the worst day," he spoke through sobs. "My parents are missing. They're trapped in Sunagakure right now while all of their troops are here trying to take over the city. For all I know they could be dead!" he said, crying. "And I'm next. And I told them - I told Chouza and Danzo - that I had the best bodyguard out there. That I'd be safe next to you. That there's no better place for me than by your side and I believed that wholeheartedly." He stopped in long pauses, collecting his tears. Sasuke listened quietly to him. "And now you're leaving. Just like that, you're leaving."

The world around Sasuke was full of silence. The large, open-ceiling of a foyer that they were standing in echoed Naruto's relentless cries as he cried and cried and cried, never letting up once, for several minutes. Sasuke motioned for another moment to the taxi driver outside, who was staring impatiently at him.

"Naruto," he voiced stoically. "I'm leaving." Naruto noticed the lack of 'san' on his name. The lack of care in Sasuke's tone. He gulped back a loud sob and leaned backward onto his knees, flopping to the floor hopelessly.

"You're the worst," he said, catching his breath.

"I'm sorry," he said the words but Naruto heard no feeling behind them.

"No you're not," he told him. "But before you go, you're gunna do something for me." Sasuke turned to face him and Naruto regained some amount of his composure and got onto his feet.

"What is it."

"You're gunna tell me something," he replied. "You're gunna tell me why you've been lying to me all of this time." Sasuke reacted taken aback, as if it was the most unnecessarily insulting thing he had ever heard. As if he had no idea what Naruto was talking about. "About everything," he continued. "About who you are, about you're feelings for me, hell, why'd you even lie for Obito Uchiha?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Get over the whole Obito and Kakashi thing, it was _ages _ago-"

"I believed you!" he shouted, violently pointing at Sasuke. "And you lied! About everything! About how you felt for me! Do you even _like _me? Did you ever?"

"Of course I did!"

"_Did_?!" Sasuke flung his arms up as if he were defeated by a lack of better words. He couldn't explain himself, and even if he could, would it even get through to Naruto like this? "Sasuke I love you! I wasn't joking when I said that to you. I was so fucking serious when I told you I loved you. And I didn't even say it first, you did. And I've never said that before, but I did and I meant it. And you threw it away like it was nothing, just another meaningless word out of your lying mouth."

"I didn't lie," Sasuke said, his voice cracking with a pleading tone. "I didn't lie to you about that."

"About what!"

"Any of it!"

"Liar!" Naruto pushed him back against the front door, the glass of the side windows rattling under the immense slam. "Stop lying to me!" He leaned back and away from Sasuke, before his feet found him shuffling towards him once more. Naruto pushed out one arm and leaned his palm against the door, pressing Sasuke against his back. His face jutted towards the Uchiha's, his nose barely a millimeter away from his. He felt the soft swoosh of Sasuke's hesitant lips jolting towards his before retracting quickly. Naruto grabbed him by the nape of his neck and pulled him towards him, his tongue greeting Sasuke's wary lips and parting them into an open-mouthed, deep set kiss. Sasuke's hands pushed against Naruto's in resistance, but only a meek strength came to him which Naruto easily over came, dragging him all the way into his arms. And as soon as they met, they broke apart. They were always breaking apart, it seemed.

"Don't lie to me," Naruto said in murmur. He put his head down and rested his bloody forehead against Sasuke's. He hadn't realized how dizzy he was until that moment. He believed it was from their kiss, which every nerve in his body assumed was their last kiss, but he knew it was from the split in his forehead. It had nothing to do with Sasuke, but also everything.

"I didn't lie," Sasuke told him. "Not about that. Not about the way I feel for you."

"You still feel this way?" he asked in a mousey tone.

"Mhm," he nodded, his mouth drying up in unease. He licked his lips twice and blinked hard. It seemed as if all of the moisture in his body had disappeared and left him to die of thirst. "I'll always feel this way about you. It was always there," he told him. Sasuke pushed his fingers between Naruto's and the doorframe. He placed his palm against Naruto's hand before sliding his fingers in between the blonde's. Naruto looked up at him.

"And you still want to go, even with those feelings?"

"Those feelings are why I must go."

"Sasuke," he took a step back to try and reason with the Uchiha. He was adamant, but he was also half-hearted. He could see it in Sasuke's face: nothing he said or did could keep him there. And while he didn't know how to fix that, he wasn't going to sit by and let his ex-bodyguard leave. He was going to try. He was going to fight. "You don't have to do this-"

"Yes I do!" he didn't mean to bark at the Namikaze, but his words were a released from the cage he felt like he was in. He felt as if he were standing on the edge of a cliff begging for help, but his words fell on deaf ears. He collected himself before repeating, "Yes I do."

"No, you don't," Naruto told him. "Look, I don't know what kind of messed up shit you're in with your clan or whatever, but you're safe here. And you're safe with me. I know you're my bodyguard, but I'll protect you too. That's what you do when you love someone. You look out for them and take care of them and give a shit about them. I'll do that for you."

Sasuke hung his head in shame and his hand reached out for his suitcase. "I'm leaving," he told the blonde. Naruto's arms helplessly fell to his sides and his neck craned sideways in defeat. He watched as Sasuke slid open the front door and walked outside.

Naruto's eye lids fell meekly to the floor where Sasuke's feet had stood only moments ago. But the moments passed by like eternities, one after the other, ticking by and mocking Naruto. He lost his parents, his city, his bodyguard. In a single day, everything was leaving him, marching away to kill or be killed, never to be heard from again. And despite all of his past battles, nothing could compare to this sort of war looming on the edges of Konoha. He was weak to this sort of war. Because he didn't control it; he didn't make the rules this time.

And then suddenly, the anger raised up inside of him. Since when does Naruto Namikaze sit back and cry and do nothing? Since never, and he wasn't going to start today.

"Sasuke!" He called, his voice clear and concise, unlike before when it wavered like a branch in the wind. Sasuke looked over his shoulder at him, placing his suitcase into the trunk. "You aren't going anywhere."

"Naruto-"

"Shut up," he stormed down the stairs and into the driveway, the taxi driver with an impatiently irritated expression on his worn, long face. Naruto swiftly reached out and snatched Sasuke's suitcase out of the trunk and slammed it shut.

"Get away from that!" Sasuke struck his wrist and Naruto's arm reflexed back.

"No," Naruto told him. "You're staying here."

"Go away!" Naruto grabbed his arm.

"I don't care Sasuke. I just don't care. Fine, if you don't like me like that, I don't care. But you aren't leaving. This isn't about me. There's something more important going on right now than what's happening between you and I." Sasuke opened his mouth to protest but Naruto wouldn't give him the chance. "My parents are missing. And you can help me find them."

Naruto subsequently dragged Sasuke towards the stairs and up onto the front patio. Sasuke dug in his heels stubbornly, scratching at Naruto's fingers.

"Let go of me!"

"I pay you! You do as I say."

"Keep your money!"

"You're going to help me, Uchiha!" Naruto turned back to look at him and latched onto his arm tighter, squeezing it as hard as he could. Sasuke was secretly in a great deal of pain, but he wasn't going to tell the Namikaze that.

"I can't help you," he told him.

"Why not!" Sasuke scoffed, his eyes wide and underestimated. Naruto looked across the alabaster face in a calculating manner, trying to find some answers in his eyes, his pink lips, his grayish cheeks.

"Tell me," he ordered. Sasuke opened his mouth and shut it instantly. He tried again, resulting in the same way. "Tell me!" Naruto yelled.

"Because I'm a part of it!"

Naruto's grip went limp instantly. Sauske nodded in honest confirmation. He shot a panicked look in the direction of the taxi driver. Having enough of waiting, he threw his hands in defeat, got back into his taxi and sped away. Naruto clawed a fist full of Sasuke's hair and dragged him inside. He slammed his against the wall, but Sasuke could easily have broken free if he so wanted to.

"Tell me what you know," Naruto said darkly.

Sasuke looked up at him and, with a breath, said, "Alright."


	15. The Prodigy and The Memory

Sasuke looked around quietly. It was a dark room with candles along the wall. At the front of the room were two torches, flanking a curtain with the Uchiha ensignia on it. He saw multiple people walk into the meeting room, all clansmen that he recognized, but didn't know as more than acquaintances. They were all the top of the pack Uchihas - the ones you don't talk to but know have more blood on their hands than the rest of the clan combined. The ones you knew everything about, but also nothing. They did the most missions out of anyone, and were serious and silent. They didn't have families, and you rarely saw them around town in casual settings. You respect them, but you do not engage. The golden rule for these dignitaries was this: stay out of their way.

Sasuke had heard stories about this meeting room from his brother and mother growing up, but he had never been in it before. He harbored a healthy fear of this meeting room, always waiting for the day he'd be able to partake in this type of meeting, but also terrified to be apart of such a dangerous situation.

It was the main Uchiha Meeting Room, a dungeon-type of underground room underneath his father's office building in the center of town. Most Uchiha's, including Sasuke up until now, received their assignments from inside the office building. This Meeting Room was private, and could only be entered during meeting times, which was after dusk. Your invitation was the summons calling you here, alerting you that your life will be on the line for your next assignment. It was only those top of the pack Uchiha's that saw this meeting room - and now, Sasuke too.

"Hi, you," he felt an affectionate pinch to his arm and slapped a hand over the wounded area, turning his head and pouting heavily at Itachi.

"When did you get here?" Sasuke whispered, he looked around for another entrance other than the one he had just been staring at. He found none. As always, Itachi was sneaking around, being quiet and blissful. He was the only one who dared to wear a sweet smile on his face at the kind of meeting you don't smile at.

"I'm always here," he whispered back with a wink. Sasuke watched as the last few seats were occupied and he straightened himself in his chair, seeing that the meeting was beginning. His mother and father walked in together. His mother sat down in the front row after sending a watchful eye to Itachi, and Fugaku went straight up to the front of the room, standing before the clan symbol.

"I'm sure all of you want to know why I've summoned you here tonight," he began, his hands behind his back and his lips in a permanent frown. Sasuke looked around as intimidation set in. There was about a score of powerful, fierce Uchiha's in the room. His eyes rolled over to Itachi, who had his legs crossed and was using the empty chair beside him as an arm rest. He was the only one who seemed relaxed. It was a mystery to Sasuke, how Itachi could face death as many times as he had and still smile. That was why no one else in the room was smiling - they had all looked someone in the eyes and killed them. Itachi was a rarity and reserved his right to be pleasant despite his past actions. Sasuke held that demeanor in envious reverence, always trying to act like his brother, but resenting Itachi as if he didn't take his duties or talents seriously enough.

As for Sasuke, he felt nauseous. He was religiously picking at the seaming of his pants, wishing he was sitting on the dock looking out at the lake, his closest friends around him, talking and laughing. None of them were here; they hadn't been invited. He didn't realize until now that most of their conversations included impatiently waiting for the day their skills were honed enough to land them a coveted chair in this exact meeting room. Why did he always dream of this? Maybe it was because he was an Uchiha; he was born knowing his duty was to serve and protect his clan in the most extreme cases. Maybe because he was ignorant. Either way, his recognized dream was now causing him to sweat.

"We've been called upon by someone very important to help with an extremely top class mission," Fugaku went on. Just as he said this, the doors opened again and about a dozen of Sunagakure troops marched in, all side by side and filing in. The Kazekage was last. Sasuke's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. The Suna agents lined up at the wall near the exit. He noticed that he was the only one surprised at this, and he looked away in insecurity.

The Kazekage? _Inside _Uchiha territory? It was unheard of. The last non-Uchiha to set foot within clan territory was killed on sight. Sasuke remember's that day profusely and exhaled out of a stressed relief.

Everyone in the room stood and bowed in respect, including Sasuke. Everyone shot back down to their seats as the Kazekage made his way up to the front of the room and was greeted by Fugaku. They bowed before one another and the Kazekage turned to face the room.

"Uchihas," he said, his voice clear and quiet. "Thank you for so graciously opening your home to me so that I can come ask for your assistance," he said. "You see, I have a plan. And I need each and every one of you to help me. You each have a mastered skill set that can help me in my endeavors."

"And what endeavors are those?" an Uchiha from the back of the room asked brusquely. Sasuke turned to see who spoke up, but could find no one. He felt a pang of embarrassment for the disrespect the Kazekage was shone, and his shoulders slumped. The bigwig's of the clan didn't respect titles or class systems. If they could kill you in an instant, they didn't respect you at all - Kages included.

"I'm going to invade Konoha."

A spell of silence fell over the Uchihas in the room and Sasuke made a flash of eye contact with his father before looking away. Sasuke heard Itachi shift uncomfortably in his seat but didn't dare look over at his brother. Sasuke chewed on his dry lip, his mouth turning clammy.

"And why would you want to do something like that," Itachi asked with a smooth, cool voice. Sasuke looked over at his brother in esteemed panic. He didn't know Itachi was a bigwig, too.

The Kazekage gazed up at Itachi for a while. Every Kage knew of Itachi Uchiha, and every Kage had used his services in the past, numerous times each. He was everything you could want in an Uchiha - he was silent and careful, but also polite and humble - two things that were rare within the clan.

"Konoha is getting too large if you ask me," he replied, speaking only to Itachi, who matched his even gaze. "They're gathering too much land and every last citizen has a big head. They think they're the best, unflappable and unapproachable. Sunagakure was once the top nation and I want to prove to those bigheaded idiots that they aren't in charge - I am. They can't overlook Sunagakure any longer. "

"So why don't you just invade to scare them?" someone chimed in. "It saves you from all hell breaking loose."

"Because why stop there? If I'm already in, then I might as well take the Hokage Office while I'm there." The Kazekage looked around the room of stiff glares and folded arms. Every pair of eyes looking at him shone with a red, cautiously vibrant tint.

"With all due respect," Itachi began again, "It is my belief that you're underestimating Konoha a bit here. Invading and laying siege are two very different things and require two very different levels of skill. Invading won't be easy in itself, but then taking over? There's a reason Konoha is seen as the top city right now - because it is. You shouldn't loose sight of their abilities just because of their egos."

The Kazekage pursed his lips. "And that is why I am coming to the Uchiha Clan for assistance, dear boy," he said. "Because I cannot do this alone."

"Well what's in it for us?" An Uchiha asked bitterly.

"I'll give you more land, of course," the Kazekage said coyly. "Double your territory."

There was a soft murmur within the clansmen about how good of an offer this is. After a few seconds of talk, there was a pause before the clansmen all made eye contact with the Head, Fugaku, who nodded in agreement at them. The clansmen nodded back.

"The Uchiha clan accepting territory from Konoha under the Sunagakure reign would show favoritism," Itachi argued politely. Sasuke realized he was standing alone, the only person in the room against this offer. "The clan's main rule is known to all who use our services: we are a neutral territory. We do not take sides. If we were to accept land that your city took from another, we'd be showing an alliance with you. That is not our business, figuratively and literally."

"We are amenable to negotiations," Fugaku told the Kazekage, ignoring his son's words and sending a cold glare his direction. Itachi didn't say any more. "In preparation to this meeting, I've gathered the best of the best in this room to help you complete this mission."

The best of the best?

Sasuke swallowed loudly and used his peripherals to gauge the Uchiha's sitting around him, his brother included. He certainly didn't consider himself the best. He wasn't horrible, and he was definitely better than most - but keep up with Itachi? He didn't see it happening. He saw his death at the end of things.

"Thank you, Fugaku-san," the Kazekage bowed at him, receiving a bow in reply.

Fugaku stepped forward. "I've made a list with the Kazekage prior to this meeting, of where all of you will be and what you are to do when this assignment occurs."

"There is a meeting taking place within Sunagakure with the myself, the Hokage of Konoha and the Leader of Otogakure about this year's Chunin Exams. The Chunin Exams are an intense series of matches to see who shall be recruited by their respected ANBU leagues. The Hokage - Minato Namikaze - and his wife will be within my city walls for about two weeks to prepare for these exams," the Kazekage told the meeting room.

"More than half of you will be inside of Sunagakure under the orders of the Kazekage himself," Fugaku told them, unfolding a piece of parchment paper kept in his dark brown vest. "I have here a list of my best Uchiha's - all of you in this room right now - and where you will need to be for this upcoming assignment." Sasuke felt his mouth close up in anticipation. His tongue felt like the deserts of Sunagakure. At 24, he could hardly call himself one of the "best Uchiha's", especially if it was his _father_ naming them. Growing up, he was always hard on him, always discounting his greatest achievements and best efforts. He couldn't imagine why his father would allow him to even attend such a meeting, let alone set him off on this type of mission. He tried listing all of the assignments that would suit his talents best for this mission - he found none.

"Once you have your assignment, please exit the room and wait for further instructions in your home. The following Uchiha's will be needed in Sunagakure in secrecy to work alongside the city's ANBU regime." Sasuke listened to about two dozen names called and watched solemnly as each Uchiha accepted their duties, bowed to the Kazegake, and left the room. He picked his bottom lip with his thumb.

"The next handful of Uchiha's will be the ones holding the Hokage and his wife hostage. This will be the most dangerous part of the assignment as you will be double agents. The Hokage has already negotiated help from us in traveling to Sunagakure. He will believe you're working for him, when in actuality you'll be taking orders from Sunagakure. In due time, you'll be meeting Minato Namikaze and his wife on the outskirts of Konoha where you will escort him to Sunagakure and throughout his stay in that city. When the Kazekage says so, you will be the men securing them." Sasuke felt Itachi's fist tighten at the sound of this, as if every muscle in his body had stiffened in an instant. To the average Uchiha, no one would be able to tell Itachi's disdain for this assignment. But Sasuke knew him better than that. Itachi hated this mission.

"Daichi, Atsushi, Hajime," Sasuke listened as the chairs scratched against the concrete floors, pushed back and abandoned by their seaters as they exited the room. He imagined these particular Uchiha were going home not to wait for further instruction, but to hug and kiss goodbye their beloved ones. At least, that's what he would do. "Itachi."

Sasuke's eyes shifted up to his father so quickly he didn't even realize he was staring at the floor. His vision wouldn't dare move as he felt the warm, familiar body beside him get up from his chair and walk away. A part of Sasuke's mind tried to reason with him; Itachi attends meetings like these all the time, Sasuke doesn't. Itachi's probably been on countless dangerous and deadly missions before and just didn't tell him. But at the same time...He couldn't help but feel betrayed by his father. How could he throw away Itachi like that? He knew his brother was the best of the best and that his father always tried bettering him, and yet... So badly did he want to watch his hero of a brother leave the room, but he was paralyzed for too many reasons, and fawning would only dishonor him.

Sasuke took this time to realize very few people were sitting in the room anymore. In fact, no one was. Only he, his parents, the Kazekage and his ANBU agents were still in the room. Out of a flight or fight reaction, Sasuke stood up hurriedly.

"Sasuke," his father told him directly. His mother turned to face her son but he was only looking upon his father. "You're being deployed to Konoha while the Hokage is away." He felt his heartbeat pound into his ears. He heard his breath sound louder and louder and he stopped breathing altogether. "You will go undercover as an ANBU agent and collect data and information and report back to the clan periodically on what the Black Ops are doing and how they are responding to the siege."

"B-But I..."

"Sasuke, you have the most important part of this assignment. Knowledge on what Konoha is doing is what will make this mission a success. You're the best investigator we have. This is yours to take," his father told him sternly.

He must have had a funny, pertrified-sort of look on his face, because almost instantly the Kazekage openly questioned Fugaku's decision on sending Sasuke into Konoha's walls.

"No," his father told the Kage. "Sasuke is the top scout. He's always the best at spying, gathering the most imperative intel where others overlook and overestimate their subjects. No one can complete this better than my son." The Kazekage looked at him for reassurance. "Trust me," he added, before turning back to him. "Sasuke, go home and wait for further instruction."

He felt his head nod instinctively and his mother stood up wantonly.

Sasuke let out a deep, soft groaning sigh as he recollected his breath. He didn't feel his limbs moving, but suddenly he was bowing and making his way to the exit to go home, wait for further instruction, and hug and kiss goodbye his beloved ones.

-NSNSNSNS-

"Itachi," Sasuke spoke silently, sliding open his brother's bedroom door and creeping in, waiting with each step for an invitation to come in. He didn't want his brother to tell him to "Go away" or "Sorry Sasuke, I'm busy" like he normally did, not this time at least. After a few steps into the room and his brother hadn't rejected his welcoming, Sasuke leapt onto his bed, gathering his pillows into his chest and leaning on his stomach. Itachi was sitting on the floor with his back to him, folding laundry into his dresser drawer.

"What is it Sasuke," his soft, floating voice disappeared when he was preparing for a mission and was replaced by a serious, cold, unfamiliar kind of voice.

After a few moments of rewording his claim in his mind, Sasuke finally said with simplicity, "You hate this mission."

A light chuckle flew from Itachi and he turned his head to look at his little brother. "It doesn't matter how I feel about this assignment, Sasuke," he said.

"Yes it does."

"No, it doesn't."

"You know it does," Sasuke said louder. "Otherwise you wouldn't have challenged the Kazekage back there like that! Asking questions, trying to get the clan out of helping him with this. I know you Itachi, I know you. No one else may get it, but I do-"

"Sasuke!" Itachi complained, standing up. Sasuke sat up on the bed, unused to such a hard tone in his brother's kind words. "You're young and you're new to those kinds of meetings, so you don't know," he told him. "You're an Uchiha - a grown, full-fledged Uchiha now. Your opinion and your feelings and your name don't matter anymore. You do as you're assigned."

"You always talk about how much you love Konoha every time you're there-"

"When someone above you gives a command, you follow it out completely and in total and you don't ask why and you don't say no. It's disrespectful to your family and your clan!"

"So you do this all the time then? Just destroy things and people you love?"

"I love my clan more!"

"You respect and honor Minato Namikaze, I know you do. You won't say it but you admire him! Every time you go into Konoha you talk about how it's your favorite place in the world. You're just going to willingly turn your back on a hero to you? You're willing to kill someone you hold upright so much?"

"I'll do as I'm told!"

"You're more than your last name!"

"Not when I'm on assignment I'm not! And neither are you!"

Sasuke hadn't realized how close their faces were in brute argument. He felt his breath short and curt and his brother towered over him in intimidation and in height. He was 29 and strong, and didn't put up with Sasuke's petty immaturity. "When you're out in the field, your actions are everything. You do not allow your emotions to dictate how your assignment is preformed. Learn your place Sasuke."

Sasuke frowned and took a step back. Itachi stared him down until he fled the room completely.

-NSNSNSNS-

It was a few days later and the evening Itachi's departure date. He was due in Sunagakure for a briefing before the actual assignment began. Sasuke would leave the following week to spend almost a month undercover in Konoha, alone in an unknown world. He wondered why he had never had an assignment in Konoha before right now.

He heard his mother quietly - but quickly - pecking out a list of things she wanted to remind Itachi of before he left. He heard his brother lovingly put up with her nagging and her crackling, chirping voice and he could only imagine the horrible sight of his mother welling up in tears, not wanting her firstborn son to leave. Sasuke stared blankly out of his bedroom window at the full moon shining on the backyard. He would have to see his mother in shambles next. He wasn't sure if he could stomach that.

Sasuke heard the click-clacking of Itachi's on-assignment, open-toed sandals on the wooden floors. He felt a tear roll down his cheek as his mother was busy hugging Itachi goodbye and watching him leave the house. Sasuke had said goodbye to him earlier that day, after they made up for their argument. He couldn't imagine saying goodbye to him and seeing him walk out the door like his mother always did - she was a brave woman. His father was somewhere in his office, hiding from goodbyes.

Sasuke slumped over onto his side in his bed and tucked his free hand under the pillow. He blinked slowly and solemnly, his vision blurred by the tears welling in his eyes. His brother leaving, his first big assignment, the first time he'd ever get to see the golden city Itachi always told him about. Apparently it was bigger and better than Kumogakure - something Sasuke dared to challenge.

He wasn't sure what his assignment would be like. He had gone on a plethora of scouting and surveying missions before, but nothing as grandiose as this, and certainly never alone. He didn't know what to expect - and that terrified him as much as it humbled him. The way his father stood up to the Kazekage for him. The fact that he was even _allowed _inside the meeting room. He had spent 24 years wishing and waiting for the dusky night he'd be summoned to the underground meeting room. He imagined the feeling to be sparkling, but it was dim and lonely. Why did he want that so badly? He wasn't sure. He didn't want it anymore, though.

Sasuke's eyes shut in a light sleep, but opened quickly an hour later as his mother gently nudged him awake, her warm, motherly voice calling him back to reality.

"What is it?" he groaned grumpily.

"New assignment," she said silently. Sasuke sprung up.

"Sasuke," his father spoke as he followed his mother out of his bedroom and into the kitchen around their breakfast table. Fugaku sat at the end of the table, his arms crossed against his chest. "Your assignment's been changed."

"So suddenly?"

"The Kazekage and I have already discussed this, and he is much more amenable to this plan than the latter," he said to his son. Sasuke brushed his fingers through his sleepy hair and sat down at the table across from his dad. He couldn't tell if he should be relieved or insulted. Was it that the Kazekage had _that_ much doubt in his abilities?

"I've received a phone call from Minato Namikaze about an hour and a half ago." Sasukes back stiffened and his stomach dropped.

The Hokage called? Is he onto them? Is Sasuke going to be called out immediately upon arriving in Konoha? He folded his hands together and looked fearfully and eagerly at Fugaku.

"You see," he continued. "A few months ago he called me in warning that at some point in the near future he may need a bodyguard to help his unruly child." Sasuke blinked, misunderstanding why this involved him. "I told him if need be, I'd send Itachi. However, he called this morning and unfortunately he's going to need that watchdog now. Itachi has already been deployed and, since you were already heading to Konoha, I told him that you would watch his son."

Sasuke's head dropped. "I'm being demoted to a babysitter," he said.

"No," Fugaku said with an annoyed eye roll. "If anything, you've been promoted." Sasuke leaned back in his chair, loosing all of his fear and eagerness and replacing it with contempt and arrogant apathy. He blinked smartly, issuing his father to try to sway him on this assignment. "You see I called the Kazekage after hearing this, and he and I came up with an even better plan than our original one."

"And that is?"

"And that is that you'll be placed as a bodyguard over his son. Once Sunagakure initiates their take over, you are to capture his son and hold him hostage as a death threat; they plan on blackmailing the Hokage into surrendering upon the cost of his firstborn's life." Sasuke bit his cheek. Itachi would hate this plan even more. He vaguely recalled Itachi mentioning the Hokage's son. He couldn't remember if he liked him or not, but he also found it difficult for people to _not _get along with his brother.

"So I'm supposed to hold a hostage inside of the city Sunagakure is invading," Sasuke tried subtly reasoning with his father that this is a poor decision. He thought back to Itachi's unanswered comment at the meeting and couldn't agree more now. "I think I'd prefer my intel assignment better," he said.

Fugaku slammed his hand on the table, making his wife jump. She hurriedly shook her head in worry and left the room. Sasuke was leering away from his father.

"I think you should shut up and take whatever mission I give you," his father demanded. Sasuke didn't dare reply. His words were far more impactful than Itachi's had been, despite saying the exact same thing. His father had so stubbornly defended him and his investigative talents to the Kazekage just a few days ago, and now he was turning the tables, giving Sasuke a simple, D class kind of assignment. It was almost humorous - if his father weren't so scary.

After a few seconds of silence, Fugaku settled down and leaned back in his seat. He looked over at Sasuke.

"Well at any rate," he added. "The Kazekage loves this new plan and he is in fact so excited about it that he's invited Minato Namikaze and his wife to Sunagakure two weeks early for a month-long stay in his city." Sasuke swallowed. "So you'll have a full month to watch over the son, figure out a well-rounded plan to keep him hostage, and gather intel if you see or hear anything suspicious."

"Alright," he mouthed, no voice coming up to help him.

"You'll be leaving sooner than later so you should pack immediately. I'll let you know more details in the morning." Sasuke nodded and Fugaku waved his hand lifelessly, motioning Sasuke to leave the table, which he did willingly.

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifteen: The Prodigy and The Memory<p>

"And that's what happened," Sasuke breathed out. He felt the weight of the world lift up off of his shoulders and give him a new life. He looked over at Naruto, who was crouching on the floor of his foyer, looking pale and weak, as if the weight of the world had just slammed onto his back, releasing all of the cheer from him.

Naruto looked up at Sasuke and stared at him long and hard and relentlessly. Sasuke tried not to look over at him too much, and quietly prayed that he'd stop looking at him like that at some point, although his hopes on that were fleeting.

"So you're going to hold me hostage, then?" Naruto asked, his tone almost daring Sasuke to do so.

"No, of course not," Sasuke said, as if the question was stupid. "I didn't want any part of this right from the start."

"So you've been collecting information then?"

"No, Naruto."

"Well you came here anyway, didn't you?"

"You don't understand how the clan works!"

"I understand exactly!" Naruto sprung to his feet and Sasuke did the same. "You and your family are even more fucked up than I thought when you first came here! You're all disgusting, sadistic sociopaths and you all deserve to rot in hell with one another!"

"Shut up!" Sasuke pointed his finger at him. "Don't you talk about my family like that!"

"You obviously don't give a fuck about mine so why should I care about yours?"

"I haven't said one rude thing about your family _ever_."

"Yeah, you were just planning on having us all slaughtered. That's _much _better than being mean, huh?" he mocked. Sasuke writhed, grimacing deeply into Naruto's dark blue eyes. "I don't get you. I don't get you at all." Naruto shook his head in blunt confusion. "You come here and you connect with the city and marvel at every damn piece of trash you see on the sidewalk, you make friends here and you meet me here, and then you just go to sleep in my house every single night, planning on holding me ransom? Knowing one day I'd be dead? You're sick, you know that?"

"I don't care what you think," Sasuke said, turning away from him. "I told you I was leaving because I couldn't do that to you. Nothing else matters."

"Yes it does!" Naruto yelled. "It matters because you've been lying to me this whole time! About everything!"

"No I wasn't!"

"Yes you were!"

"I wasn't!"

"I don't believe you!" Naruto huffed. "I don't believe anything you say!"

Sasuke grabbed his suitcase and his gait turned to the front door. Naruto tackled him from behind and threw his suitcase away with one fell swoop of his strong arm. He was on top, straddling Sasuke, his arms on each side of the Uchiha's face. He stared down at him angrily, receiving a blank stare and deep, closed exhales in return. Naruto studied his entire face, trying to glean any emotion or meaning. Trying to find an ounce of humor or pleasing from his face. He hated Sasuke, but he so dearly held on to the small hope that maybe, just maybe, he was joking. That all of this was a nightmare and he'd wake up beside his love, all silent and warm. But he knew it wasn't going to happen. It wasn't going to happen because there wasn't any regret in Sasuke's alabaster face. His perfect, charming, radiantly faceless face. And the less expressions that colored his face, the angrier Naruto became with him.

"You suck," he spat. Sasuke made no attempt to reply. "You fucking suck!" Naruto sent his fist flying into Sasuke's face. And then again. And again. And again. His other fist joined in, marking his jaw and his cheek and his nose and his eyes and his brow. He heard the Uchiha's neck crack ever so slightly from being flown from one side to the other as his fists took turns pelting down on him with unforgiveness. He noticed how easily it would be for Sasuke to repress his fists and kick him off of him, but he didn't. He didn't move. He just took it and accepted it and swallowed it. And the less he did to stop Naruto, the angrier Naruto became. And the more bloodied Naruto's fists became, the angrier he became at himself.

"Ugh!" Naruto slammed his fists into the ground around Sasuke's head and he crouched over his body, resting his forehead on Sasuke's. As his heavy head met the Uchiha's, he felt Sasuke's head go limp and fall to the side out of unconsciousness.

Naruto inhaled and exhaled laterally, trying to calm his nerves down. He at first felt his forehead stick in the blood that was on Sasuke's face, but he stayed down on top of the motionless body for so many long minutes that he felt the itchy patches of blood drying on his crinkled forehead. Naruto sat up and stared down at Sasuke's unconscious body, his face bloodied and bruising in some spots. Even when it was so ugly, he still had the most perfect face.

-NSNSNSNS-

Naruto dragged Sasuke outside by his ankles and placed his suitcase politely beside him. He stood over the Uchiha and looked at him with a lonely, dispassionate gaze.

"You lied to me," Naruto told the un-listening body. "You're a liar." He blinked one last time at Sasuke, a million goodbyes pouring through his brain, but none coming out. He exhaled one last time and collected himself before walking back inside and shutting the door, locking it behind him.

* * *

><p>Naruto woke up early the next morning as the sun beat through the blinds and rested heartlessly on his sleepy eyes. He groaned stiffly, his knuckles torn apart and sore from beating Sasuke. He stretched and relaxed his stiff muscles before getting up. Sleeping on his couch was uncomfortable compared to the cushy master bed in his room - but Sasuke had been there before. He and Sasuke had been the before. He was uninterested in sleeping where a traitor once lay and that meant that the bed's fate was being burned to a crisp.<p>

The world around him was quiet. Birds were chirping, the sprinklers on the lawn were sprinkling. The world was dark and quiet and he questioned every birds motive and every sprinklers reason and every sunbeam as it lived its life as it does everyday, as if nothing was wrong. But everything was wrong. Minato and Kushina were gone. Sunagakure was betraying Konoha and preparing to invade. The ANBU was in lockdown and in total confusion, unable to do anything to protect their city. Sasuke had betrayed him.

Naruto went down to the kitchen and made himself a cup of ramen. He slowly ate each noodle separately before throwing away more than half of the cup. He didn't have much of an appetite.

He re-bandaged his throbbing knuckles, applying a thick coating of some weird gel his mom always put in his cuts when he was younger. He looked at himself in the mirror for a long time, listing profanities in his mind, torturing himself for everything that had happened in the past month.

Naruto slowly marched towards the front door. As he walked, he hoped it was all a dream. He hoped that Sasuke hadn't told him anything and had just left in a taxi. He hoped that the story Sasuke told him was something his own mind came up with. He hoped he just imagined beating the shit out of Sasuke. He hoped he had just imagined Sasuke taking it instead of fighting for his life. He hoped Sasuke still had life in him. Because all of those hopes would hurt less than knowing the truth, he decided.

Naruto swung the front door open and looked down. Sasuke, and all he had brought with him, was gone.

* * *

><p>Yay! The chapter is done! And before anyone asks, no, the Kazekage is NOT Gaara. Maybe it's his dad? I'm not sure, I honestly never thought about it too in depth, which is why he's just "the Kazekage" and doesn't have an actual name :)<p>

Sorry I'm a day late.. the fireworks in my town were last night because there was a storm on the Fourth, so I was busy at the beach rather than near my computer screen!

Please remember to review!

See you next week!


	16. Legendary

Hi everyone :) Welcome back to another exciting chapter of this story that'll be wrapping up soon! I've decided that I'll definitely be posting another story up very soon, probably a chapter or so before this fic is complete, but I'll keep you update on that. I'm developing two different plots so whichever is tweaked and more preferable to me first will be the one I'll submit.

Anywhoosel...

* * *

><p>Chapter 16: Legendary<p>

"Come on, come on," he begged, pacing around his kitchen with the cordless phone up to his ear. It was his third try calling his father's phone with no response. He had already left enough voicemails on his mother's phone that all he heard was a dial tone when he called her number now. After reaching the Namikaze's voice mail box once more, Naruto slammed his finger down on the receiver and launched the phone across the room, it bouncing on the tiled floor and splitting in two. In anger, Naruto scraped his fists over his head, balling up masses of blonde locks into his tightly wrapped fingers. He kicked the air in frustration before storming out of the house and into the backyard onto the patio.

"Alright so that didn't work," he said breathily, his hands firmly on his hips. Hinata collected his arm gently into hers as a form of comfort, but he swatted her away, uninterested in human contact. He marched over to where Shikamaru was lounging and sat down next to him.

In a fit of fury, Naruto helplessly called his entourage of friends to stay at his house with him for the time being. Although he was far more concerned with the well-being of his parents, Naruto had promised Chouza and Danzo that he would stay protected, and knew he had to keep up his end of the bargain. He figured that the force of half a dozen young adults could match about half of an Uchiha's abilities, which was as close as Naruto knew he'd get to one ever again. After spending the morning scouring every square inch of his home and lawn, he ruled that Sasuke was not at all on the property anymore. Just in case, Naruto sent a phone call to Chouza about being careful with information in the ANBU ranks. Although he didn't explain why he was calling, Chouza had enough paranoia to agree to keep things on the down low. Naruto didn't dare mention Sasuke's name to him, although he was 100% positive that the Uchiha was spying for intel to return home with. He didn't need Chozua getting involved with that. He wanted his own revenge for that.

After ending his phone call with Chouza, Naruto invited Shikamaru, Kiba, Choji, Lee, Neji, Sai, Hinata, Ino and Tenten over to his home. When Kiba showed up, he brought along his creepy friend Shino, whom Naruto was forced to welcome despite his better judgment.

"Okay," Choji said calmly, sending Naruto a fatherly sort of tone like he always did, "So now what?" Naturally, none of his friends would agree to stay without knowing exactly why Naruto was so nervous about staying home alone. He gave a condensed lie of the situation, only explaining things that Chouza explained to him. Luckily, all of his friends were the offspring of either Minato's friends or members of the Black Ops ranks, meaning they knew to keep their mouths shut.

"So now...I don't know," he said. His friends shot a look of concern to one another; Naruto always had plans. Normally they were plans created from a reckless abandon, but plans nonetheless. Naruto, their pack leader and plan maker, not having a plan? The thought was disheartening.

"Naruto," Kiba asked, watching his massive dog Akamaru sniff the grass before plopping over and resting in the sunshine, "Where's Sasuke?"

The name tweaked his spine and Naruto looked up at the same moment as his friends all simultaneously looked over at him. Some had known of the bodyguard, some had even met him. Some didn't know what Kiba was even blathering on about.

"His duties are over, he went home," Naruto said quietly. Kiba's mouth twitched in suspicion, but Naruto's eyes were competitive and daring, silently warning Kiba not to ask any more questions. Kiba was hotheaded and temperamental just like Naruto, but he accepted Naruto was the top dog and didn't try to rock the boat between them. He accepted Naruto's commentary and left the subject alone.

"Whose Sasuke?" Neji asked curiously.

"His bodyguard," Kiba offered up the information.

"Better question - why haven't we heard of him until now?" Tenten invited herself into the swirl of commentary.

"The better question is why wasn't _I _your bodyguard?" Sai chimed in before Naruto could even look over at Neji and Tenten.

"He's an Uchiha," Choji explained. Naruto's eyes widened like saucers and he mailed Choji a death glare the innocent speaker missed. Neji, however, saw it.

"An _Uchiha_?" he implored questioningly.

Naruto saw Hinata cringe uncomfortably in her seat beside Ino, as if she wanted to shrink into the cushion. As two Hyuga's, Uchiha's were seen as the worst enemy. Neji and Hinata, like every Hyuga, harbored a substantially embittered fear of Uchiha's, always wanting to rid the world of them, never actually daring to do so. There was a time when Hyuga's were in the same business as Uchiha's, until the bloodied clan destroyed any hope of the the clan becoming a major power player. All members of the Hyuga family despised the clan and speak of their heinous duties were taboo. Depsite this, Neji was smart and balanced, and understood their position in the world of power.

"Why don't we ask the Uchiha's for help?" he offered willingly, his tone almost excited, as if he had thought of the grand scheme to solve the war before it began. Hinata shot her cousin a disapproving scoff. "They'll help, with a price."

"No," Naruto said hastily, the horrifying events of yesterday playing through his head like a wrecking ball.

"Why not?" Neji asked, his face growing very stoic and tight, like he was upset that Naruto shot him down so quickly.

"Because."

* * *

><p>"Here we go," the taxi driver spoke, pulling over to the empty side of the road just outside the main gates of the Fire Country. "This is your stop-"<p>

"Actually," Sasuke spoke charmingly to the unconscious body, tightening his arm around the man's neck, "it's yours." He released his chokehold and dropped the man's weight, watching the lifeless body sink down into the seat. He climbed over the backseat and into the front, opening the door and kicking the man's body out in one fell swoop.

-NSNSNSNS-

_Taxi Driver,_

_I'm dearly sorry that I had to knock you out and steal your taxi. If you knew why, I'm sure you'd understand. Having said that, you can never know why, so you will __simply have to accept my apology and move along in your life._

_Thank you, _

_Anonymous_

"That should do it," he muttered, folding up the apology letter and tucking it into the man's hand. He had delicately staged the unconscious body against a bench with the note - he couldn't just leave the man in the middle of the road, after all.

To avoid any investigations on the note (assuming that the man would go to the police after regaining his consciousness), Sasuke wrote the letter in a font he had copied off of a menu he saw at a diner once in Kumogakure. He had keen eyes and had always been good at forging other people's manuscript. All Uchiha's were excellent at it, actually.

Sasuke popped the trunk of the taxi and pulled out his suit case and opened it, releasing it's contents. He jumped into the back of the car and changed clothes before shoving his unfolded, unkempt slacks and blazer into the bag. As he shut the trunk, he surveyed himself in the reflection of the back windshield.

He was wearing an ANBU uniform he found in Minato's bodyguard's bedroom before he left the estate, the gray armor and animal mask in tow. It was all he had packed. There was no turning back now.

Sauske slammed the trunk back down, climbed into the driver's seat and pulled away from the curb, his direction set towards Sunagakure.

* * *

><p>Rule # 37 Do not entertain emotion while preforming an assignment.<p>

It was clear and direct: the best strategy while in the workplace - where ever that may be - was to remain level headed and detached. It was one of the first rules created, despite it's numerical place on the list, and was one of the most important to follow. It was also the most infamous; while outsiders were not aware of the 50 Rules of the Uchiha, they _were_ fully aware of the detachment of Uchiha's. It was the most known trait of the clan, aside from their stunning good looks and sable hair - they were all known for the emotionless, monotonous, void expression in their expressionless eyes. It was rare to get even the slightest twitch from an Uchiha.

And there was a reason for this, too.

Countries and towns and cities used the Uchiha Clan as a device. When they wished to avoid conflict, send a wordless, threatening message to a neighboring land or any other duty their government described as "dirty work", they used their money to persuade the Uchiha Clan to help them.

The Uchiha Clan was once a full blown land of country, nestled freely between the Fire Country and the Water Country. They were the largest clan in the world and bred the fastest, strongest, smartest, and overall best warriors out of any other clan - and better, any other country. The other countries knowing this, fed them with money in return for the services of their brave warriors.

Aside from being the fastest, strongest and smartest, the Uchihas were also the most arrogant, however, and they became power hungry. They used the money from their services to invade Konoha (the most influential country at this time) under the supervision of their best leader: Madara Uchiha.

Madara was powerful, arguably the most powerful Uchiha to exist. But he was blindsided and ruthless. Madara kept his warriors moving without time to regroup and relax, so they tired quickly and had little time to renew their resources. After four long years as the ruler, the citizens of Konoha managed to destroy the fatigued and weakened Uchihas, take back their homeland and kill Madara Uchiha. The war left the Uchiha's in devastation and the clan drastically downsized. The clansmen who had not died in battle were humbled by the experience and decided that it was better to be used as weapons for the larger countries than to end up being killed off by them, and returned to their role as silent, key players and the movers and the shakers of the continent. It was during this time that the remaining clansmen created the 50 Rules of the Uchiha: regulations that each Uchiha on an assignment were to remember and follow. Rule # 37 was created to keep arrogance and anger and confusion away, in hopes that there would never be a resurgence of Madara's will within the clan.

So the Uchihas continued taking assignments and over time they regained the trust of the nations, along with them gaining a newfound fear of the small clan. Normal, everyday citizens were still unknowing and most even shuddered at the sound of the name "Uchiha", incognizant of the fact that their leaders were still using the clan to help them in whatever way they see fit. Their services were now considered hush-hush and their surname was to invisible.

Rule # 18 Show no mercy.

This rule was created to ensure that the assignment was completed in fullness. Most missions assigned are not for the faint of heart; the job of an Uchiha is to steal, whether it be literal, or information or even a person's life. To show grace or to second guess your assignment or heart is to fail the assignment, which does not have pleasant repercussions. With mercy comes the strong potential for an assignment to become incomplete. An incomplete assignment means the clan does not get paid for their services. No payment means no business.

Which leads to another rule.

Rule # 1 The clan comes first.

The first rule, the last of the 50 Rules of the Uchiha to be read on your first day at the Academy, was the most vital. No matter what, the Uchiha clan is the single most important thing in the world. Forgetting this rule could lead you where it led Madara Uchiha, which should not ever be reproduced ever again.

After the defeat of Madara Uchiha, the Uchiha Clan managed to channel their arrogance into a healthy, neutral pride from their clan.

The clan territory was now small and hidden under the radar. Few people knew where the actual territory was, but all knew not to enter it. The clan territory was sacred ground, and everything residing within it was so be protected with one's life. The clan comes first. The family you leave behind on a mission comes first. You are nameless and faceless and thoughtless on missions. You do not think, you do as you are told because anything you do on assignment ultimately benefits the clan, the single most important thing in the world. Without the clan, you are nothing.

Sasuke ran these rules through his head. Most Uchiha offspring hear some of them at a young age, but are not formally introduced to them until they are six and entering the Academy. For Sasuke, the son of the Head of Clan, he knew these rules like the back of his hand. He knew them and he breathed them and he understood them and he followed them from every tittle to every jot.

And now here he was.

Sasuke breathed out loudly, appreciating the silence of being alone in the taxi, moving along quickly and sturdily as he came between crossroads of the Sand Country's borders and the Fire Country's.

It smelled like war, he could tell. He had never experience war himself, but Itachi had, and he described the war carefully to Sasuke when he was old enough to comprehend. Itachi was right: you could smell it. You could see it. You could feel it. The world was too quiet and the earth had stopped rotating in orbit. Everything was still. It was calm. The air was brisk and quiet, as if a tornado could drop down at the exact moment. As if life could be over at that exact moment. Sasuke didn't like it.

Rule 49, Rule 41, Rule 37, Rule 23, Rule 18, Rule 5, Rule 1. The clan comes first. Show no mercy. Stay unnamed. Know your place. Don't deviate from your assignment. Show no emotion. Sasuke read the rules in his head, word for word, over and over again. He clenched tightly to the old leathery steering wheel. All of those rules.

He was breaking all of them.

* * *

><p>"So what can we do to help?" Choji asked.<p>

"There has to be something that the ANBU can do," Ino chirped. "We can't just let the Sunagakure troops come in like this without a fight!"

"My dad doesn't want to touch the Black Ops right now," Choji said nervously. "Minato-sama and Kushina-sama are in Sunagakure. One false move and they could be dead. We can't take that chance." He looked over anxiously at Naruto, hoping talk about his parents' untimely demise didn't spark anything. Naruto was sitting motionlessly in the corner, staring down into the patio tiles. He barely heard Choji's words, let alone listened to them.

He w_as _thinking. He was _trying _to think of something they could do. And in a way, he was. He was, however, thinking more about how easily this could be resolved had Sasuke been there. He'd cook up a scheme, go straight down to Chouza and Danzo and ready the ANBU troops for battle - and win. But that wouldn't ever happen, and Naruto knew this. Sasuke was gone. Forever. He was probably already heading back to Uchihaland with top secret Konoha pass codes and blueprints and war tactics. He was probably already preparing for battle - but on the other side. Naruto had a quick nightmare flash in his mind where he was in the middle of a deserted, destroyed city street and ended up face to face with Sasuke and his red, daring eyes. He didn't know what he'd do in that position. Probably die.

"I just...I just can't believe they'd do this," Kiba said incredulously, pulling on his hair with his sweaty palms. He leaned himself against a column and slid down to where Akamaru was. He placed his head on the laying dogs hind legs and buried his face with fur.

"Well believe it," Naruto said roughly. "Because it's happening. Right now."

He felt pairs of eyes look over at him with concern.

"That's how you feel?" Neji asked. "You sound defeated."

Naruto shrugged. "What can we do? They have help. They have a lot of muscle backing them up," he silently imagined the Uchiha clansmen lining up alongside Suna troops. "And we don't even have my dad here to lead us. We're doomed."

"No we aren't!" Ino scolded.

"Why'd you bring us here then?" Neji asked suspiciously. "If you're _that _defeated and you don't care at all, why would you bring all of your closest friends to your home to talk about this? Why tell us? Why not let us all be happy and ignorant about the subject until the ANBU figures out what to do?" Naruto glared at him and his mouth stayed shut. Neji's pale, fearless eyes beckoned a response to his rhetorical questions. He and Naruto were always locking heads. Naruto knew nothing he'd say could convince Neji it was the truth. Once Neji was suspicious, he could sniff out a lie better than anyone. He'd only be wasting his breath. Ino and Choji both watched the staring game between the two dominant personalities and began to grow suspicious just as Neji did.

"Well," Ino trailed off innocently. "We deserved to know," she defended the blonde. Unfortunately, her opinion fell on deaf ears and mattered to neither boys.

"Naruto," Choji asked, calling his attention. Naruto kept his face and posture hunched over and directing towards Neji. His eyes gravely slid over to Choji.

"Who _are _you anymore?"

* * *

><p>It was a full moon.<p>

The moon was like a white saucer dripping into the dark blue sky. It was the desert, so you could see every star shining and every movement in the still sky. It was the antithesis of Konoha, Sunagakure. Everything was different. It was humid and windy, but his hair didn't blow in the wind and his lungs were clear of any musky oxygen. The silence, the stillness...it was gone. As if the general public of Sunagakure had no idea their leader was waging a war with Konoha. Sasuke, who had abandoned his taxi and trailed the rest of the way to Sunagakure to hide until dusk, was standing tall and high above the city. He was in a large desert tree, covered by the thick, rubbery, ever-seasonal leaves. He had killed a scorpion with his heel before, and since then had an paranoid, itchy sensation all over his body. But the citizens - they were all fine. Content, and happy. Families going out to eat in the market, the children scurrying around and playing with puppets and neighboring friends. Everyone was happy and lived life in normalcy, while everything around them had a stark difference. Sasuke imagined Konoha to be the same way right now, but modern and quick and gray. He imagined Naruto out with his friends at a bar, or maybe with Jiraiya or maybe he even gave Sakura another chance. He imagined he had already forgotten about his Uchiha partner. The thought was paralyzing, but Sasuke moved forward, knowing what he must do.

Sasuke scanned the peripheral areas before leaping down from his tree and onto the ground. He was on the mountain walls surrounding the scaled city. He looked around at the top of the walls, waiting for a persons shadow. As he saw one, he lifted himself and jumped high, kicking the lone wall-protector down and unconscious. He swapped ANBU uniforms with him and left him there.

The Sunagakure ANBU uniform was far more heavy than Konoha's, but Sasuke assumed it was because it probably had to deal with harsher weather conditions. They had sandstorms and cyclones; Konoha just received rain from time to time.

He scratched and fiddled with his uniform as he ran. He spotted the Kazekage tower instantly, as it was similar to Konoha's: round and sizable.

Sasuke surveyed as he ran. He counted eight other uniformed Suna soldiers standing on and around the wall. He was unable to tell if they were all Suna-based or if there was an Uchiha in the mix; with the invasion coming along nicely, it was most likely that many of the Uchiha's stationed in Sunagakure had switched uniforms. He wondered if Itachi's league had been called to do so yet. It depended on if they had openly turned on Minato-sama yet or not. Sasuke tried picturing Itachi turning his back on the Hokage. He couldn't imagine him doing so, but he also couldn't imagine Itachi breaking Uchiha code, either. What would Itachi think of what Sasuke was doing right now? His heart began palpitating at just the thought of Itachi knowing.

Sasuke made leaps and bounds over city roofs and skyscrapers, making his way to the Kazekage Mansion. It was dark out and most of the workers probably had gone home, he figured. All that should be left at this time of night are the Uchiha's prowling around and watching over Minato Namikaze.

It was nice, the wind in his hair and the smell of fresh air coursing into his lungs. His most recent mission was body guarding, and little activity and stamina was needed for such a small job. To stretch his legs, look alert, and be able to use his agility to the highest form - he missed this. He missed the adrenaline and the activity. Sasuke was an Uchiha through-and-through, he supposed.

But he couldn't forget why he was here.

Sasuke made it to the top of the building. He looked up at the blank mountain above him. There were no faces carved into the majestic rock. Maybe Sunagakure didn't value their beloved leaders like Konoha did. It seemed almost disrespectful to him, to not have a Kazekage face overlooking the city. He thought back to the day Naruto used his surname prowess to get him to the top of the mountain. He remembers the whimsical feeling of seeing the monument up close and personal. He remembers the gratuity he felt towards Naruto for being so kind to him.

A flush of sharp butterflies stabbed into his stomach. That was the first time Naruto showed kindness openly. It was the second time Sasuke kissed him. It was the first time he meant it.

Sasuke exhaled through his lips and looked at the mountain.

Naruto.

_Naruto._

Sasuke licked his lips and looked away to regain his thought process. He scanned the roof for the stairway exit and crept towards it silently, making sure no one was coming before he stealthily slid down the staired corridor. He leapt against the wall and jumped up, keeping his arms and legs pressed out to keep him pinned to the ceiling of the narrow hallway. Two Sunagakure citizens walked under him, unaware of his presence, and delved into a deep, quiet conversation. When they were gone, Sasuke leapt down and continued on his way.

Door after door. Sasuke swung open each door into empty, dark rooms and vacant offices and file cabinets. Each door closed shut behind him and he continued on, floor after floor in the building under he came upon the basement. Sasuke stared down the dark hallway leading further and further down the ominous staircase. He took small, quiet footsteps. In training, Sasuke had learned how to walk without giving notice away, but even with his extensive training, he worked hard to stay undetected. His sandals clicked lightly once and Sasuke halted, waiting a moment to see if anyone heard, and then leapt down the rest of the way in a panicked impatience.

It was dangerous from here on out. He could die. He was an Uchiha and he was dressed as a Sunagakure ANBU Black Ops member. If the Uchiha's hadn't changed uniforms yet from Konoha clothes to Sunagakure clothes, he'd be noticed right away and in trouble. If he was caught by a real Sunagakure ANBU member, he'd be killed - even as an Uchiha, unless otherwise noted, it was illegal to don ANBU wear. If it was an Uchiha member who caught him, they'd question him. They'd assume he was betraying the clan. He'd be killed. So, Sasuke decided, under whatever circumstances, he could _not _be seen from this point on.

Sasuke slid up the ANBU arm warmer and looked at his watch. It was closing in on midnight (where had the time gone?) and he had made little headway. Sasuke threw his head back in frustration. If he couldn't do it tonight, he'd be forced to leave and wait in a stupid tree until tomorrow's dusk - which he was not willing to do. It was long and tedious and Suna could destroy Konoha in that time period if they so wanted to - or kill Minato and Kushina Namikaze.

Sasuke kept moving and found a door. He opened it slowly, but found nothing.

His pace was beginning to be quicker now. He was becoming stressed out and the lack of fresh air in the basement was stirring up an ache in his temples. He wanted to find Minato and Kushina. That was it. If he found them, he could be satisfied to leave and come back early that morning to rescue them. Yes, that's what he'd do. He find a safe place to hide, and wait a few more hours just before sunrise to escape with Naruto's parents. And he'd bring them back to Konoha anonymously. Minato could take care of the rest and settle this war. Naruto would assume it was Sasuke's actions that freed his beloved parents and he'd forgive his ex-bodyguard. And then Naruto could live in peace and be happy and move on with his life, and Sasuke could live with that. Sasuke could live without seeing Naruto so long as he was happy and safe. He figured Naruto would find more happiness and safety without the lying, sneaking Uchiha around him all day. Sasuke pouted in remorse. He wished Naruto could be happy with him.

Suddenly, a shadowy flash skirted by him. Sasuke whipped around and clutched onto the Sunagakure-made knife in the holster he stole from the soldier when he collected his new ANBU uniform. He lurched down into the shadows of the small foyer he was standing in.

There was that warring silence again. The heavy knowing that someone was behind that corner, waiting to pounce. The thick air that smelled like sweat and stillness.

Sasuke felt his clammy fingers wrap into his grip. He looked down at his weapon. His 'Understanding Foreign Weaponry' class at the Academy persuaded him that it was called a kunai, a sharp, triangular knife that Sunagakure troops and, secretly, Uchiha members, were specialized in. Sasuke confidently held the kunai out sideways and threw his back against the wall and slid over to the edge of the wall.

It was over in a flash. The dark silhouette lunged at Sasuke and it was over in an instant. He heard the lifeless body hit the ground with a thud. Sasuke's eyes widened and his body was paralyzed. Out of momentum, his legs moved backwards and he slammed against the wall and slid down. His eyes caught the flickering shine of the knife in the ANBU agents side. There was a pool of conglomerated, dark red blood pooling out of the body.

"Oh my god." He spoke aloud. "Oh my god," he mouthed.

Sasuke's legs shook violently and he began crawling away. His lungs closed up and his throat ran dry and his arms gave out and he used one hand to inch away, choking back deep inhales for breath as tears and sweat spilled from his face. He couldn't find the exit. He couldn't crawl fast enough away from the immobile agent behind him. As far away as he got from the agent, it never seemed far enough.

"Oh my god," he burst and stopped moving. He lay face first on the floor, sobbing.

He had never killed someone before.

* * *

><p>"What do you mean <em>who am I<em>?" Naruto spat, standing up.

"You're acting weird," Choji admitted to him. Naruto looked around at his closest friends' faces. They all looked away from his eyes and Naruto knew that they agreed with the Akamichi. "Usually you're just leading us on and encouraging us to do whatever we can and stuff and, I don't know...you're...acting different."

"Well pardon me," he rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, it's not like my parents aren't potentially _dead_ or anything."

"We know that," Ino said, standing up. She offered Naruto her hand in comfort, but he refused. "And we want to help."

Naruto looked at the pleading shine in her eyes, which matched Choji's concerned expression as well. He looked around at all of his friends, worried and confused just like he was, but for far different reasons. He exhaled coldly and chewed on his lips.

They were right, he was being weird. And he knew why. And he knew if they knew, they'd understand. But he couldn't tell his friends what was wrong without giving it all away. Without giving Sasuke away. And even though Sasuke deserved it, he found himself unable to admit his alibi. He found himself torturing himself and defending the slug that was Sasuke Uchiha. He hated himself for it, which he knew his friends would never comprehend, which only served to upset him more. He was at a crossroad.

Naruto hated Sasuke Uchiha with a burning passion. And he could never forget why. But he could also never forget the things they shared together and the smiles they wasted on one another. Every second ticked by and every one of those seconds Naruto prayed that Sasuke would walk through his door and tell him it was all a lie and tell him that he's in love with him and could never leave him. He wanted Sasuke to apologize, but not with words. He wanted to kill Sasuke. He wanted to never see Sasuke again, but that was too long of a wait for him.

But Choji was right. And the rest of his friends were right, too. There was a _war _going on in Konoha. They were being attacked. And his father couldn't be here to save them. So Naruto was going to have to step up to the plate. He was going to have to put aside his own feelings and lead the rest of Konoha to victory against Sunagakure. Against the Uchiha's.

And then, after all of that, then he'd deal with Sasuke.

In a short moment, Naruto's heart had changed its mind. He looked up at Choji with the most serious of expressions.

"Maybe we should call your dad," Choji was startled at even the thought.

"What? Why?" he asked.

"Maybe he'll have an idea of what we can do to help," Naruto said.

* * *

><p>Sasuke was playing with primary colored blocks and an abacus in the living room while his mother was cooking dinner. He remembers the night well, and that was the first time Itachi ever came home with blood on his hands.<p>

Of course, there was no literal blood on his hands, but Sasuke, even at the ripe age of seven, could see what happened. He saw it in his brother's face.

He was pale and quiet and his father placed an approving and proud hand on his firstborn son's head before walking away wordlessly. His mother snatched him by the shoulders and hugged him and squeezed him before dragging him away to draw a bath for him. That same night Itachi had snuck out of bed and crawled in Sasuke's with him and held him tightly like a teddy bear. Itachi never told Sasuke what happened or how it happened or why it happened, but Sasuke understood Itachi's silence. He understood the agony he felt on that day.

Sasuke, on the other hand, only acted the part. He was a liar and a coward and only he knew this, with his greatest secret weighing heavily on his shoulders. Even Itachi, his greatest confidant, was unaware of the bloodless hands he carried around. He mimicked Itachi's responses and actions on the day he came home and he was treated in the same way. He had crawled into Itachi's bed that night, but out of shame, not the fear of being left alone with your own thoughts to replay the murder. He always had promised himself he'd tell Itachi the truth someday. It wasn't until recently did Sasuke decide to take his shameful secret to the grave.

Sasuke cried. He managed to crawl into the dark room he had checked in before taking someone's life, shut the door, and bawled his eyes out for hours under he became dehydrated and tired. He rolled onto the ground, ashamed and scared. He was ashamed he made it 24-years as an Uchiha without killing someone, and he was ashamed that someone - someone who had a home and a name and a family - died by his hand. The thought sickened him and he cried more. Someone was never going to make it home after their work shift. Someone was never going to eat their favorite food again or hear their favorite song again. And it was all Sasuke's fault.

Sasuke fell asleep from dehydration and woke up forty minutes later. He checked his watch. It was almost three in the morning now. He wondered what Naruto was doing. He wondered where Naruto's parents were and remembered why he was here.

_Naruto._

Sasuke mustered up the courage to leave the safety of his hiding spot in the basement. He wanted to shut his eyes and walk past the corpse, but had a frightening vision of tripping on it and he didn't want to make it a reality, so he was forced to open his eyes. He took a deep breath and walked back into the dark corridor.

It smelled like blood. Dry blood. Sasuke, five feet away from the lifeless body, stared down at it for several minutes. He wanted to keep walking. He wanted to run away. He wanted to run back into his crying chambers and cry some more. He wanted to go home and tell his mom he just killed someone.

The ground was stained red where the misshapen body lay. The kunai was on the ground beside the body, its arm twisted unnaturally from when he fell to the ground dead. Sasuke swallowed and, not taking his eyes off of the body, felt down his leg and holsters for any more kunais. He had none. He couldn't go on without a weapon on him.

"Fuck," he whispered, taking a step towards the body. He didn't want to take any more steps, but even if he were to go back up stairs and leave or run away or surrender, he'd have to pass the scene of the crime anyway. So he moved forward. Sasuke placed his hands on the wall and outstretched his leg, hoping to drag the kunai near him with his foot so he didn't have to get too close to his pile of shame.

Sasuke leaned down to grab the kunai and shot back upwards in an instant. He carefully walked around the body, leaving a good amount of space between him and it. As he treaded on forward, he found himself unable to move.

Sasuke turned and looked back at the body. From the angle, he could see part of the corpse's jawline. He had a face. He had a name. Sasuke couldn't just leave him like that.

"Why am I so nice?" he mouthed to himself as he crept back towards the body. He got down on his hands and knees and crawled towards it slowly. He began wishing that he could be more like Madara Uchiha, a killing machine that took what he felt entitled to. He wished he could avenge his ancestors like Madara did. He wished he could at least avenge himself.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered to the dead body as he gently took off the ANBU mask. From one look at the face, Sasuke dropped the mask and the light ceramics of it shattered like glass on the ground, echoing through the empty dark hallways.

It was an Uchiha.

Sasuke's jaw fell open as he stared palely at the Uchiha laying before him, dead from his doing. His chin quivered and his eyes became wet instantly. And just as a tear streamed down his cheek, he felt a cold, hard knife slide into his back. Sasuke fell forward and onto the body, a kunai ripping into his skin.

* * *

><p>DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN!<p>

Sasuke can't catch a break in this chapter (sorry, Sauce).

P.s before anyone asks, Naruto and Sasuke's story lines in this chapter were working on different clocks. Naruto's scenes happened probably within the same hour whereas Sasuke's story line outstretched his entire day. I just interchanged the two for a dramatic, cliff-hanger-y sort of effect :)

Please remember to REVIEWWWWW :)


	17. Someone Else

Chapter 17: Someone Else

It was funny, the things you'd do for love.

You grow up and you watch your parents kiss and you see your older brother go on dates and you watch people blushing and holding hands and, when you come to a certain age, even you begin going out with people. But all of the crazy, borderline insane acts of love, the ones only talked about in stories or in songs? Those are rarely viewed. It isn't everyday that a man needs to jump into heroic action to save his distressed damsel. It's not everyday you need to profess all of your love because the next time you get to see your lover may never come. Those kind of acts of love aren't common - and when you hear of them, especially if you've never considered yourself in love before, it's hard to believe love could drive someone to do such a mental thing for someone else. For someone who may not even feel the same way as you. For someone you could barely know. For someone who could so easily break your heart. And yet, here Sasuke was. Going against his clan, sneaking into Sunagakure, impersonating a ANBU agent - all federal crimes. But it didn't matter. Because someone else mattered more to Sasuke than all of those things.

It was funny, the things Sasuke found himself doing. All of the things he'd never imagined he'd ever even consider. Had he been told when he was boy that he'd become a traitor in the name of love, he would have been embarrassed and ashamed and swore that he'd never do anything like that - and he'd mean it. But, as Sasuke recently discovered, feelings and words change. And while some of those feelings and words grow weaker, others grow stronger.

He felt nary a need to think through his insane actions. Looking back, Sasuke had never once debated with himself as he was in the back of the taxi, plotting how to infiltrate Suna without the ANBU and Uchiha's bypassing him. He had never once questioned whether or not what he was doing was right. He didn't at all regret any of his actions, despite the haste and impulsiveness of all of the choices. And, if he stopped thinking about his self-assigned mission long enough for any other thoughts to sneak in, they were always flying Sasuke away to a fantasy where only he and a certain young Namikaze were.

Sasuke felt a lot of things tonight. He was certainly full of shaky anxiety; it wasn't everyday that he went against his clan. It was rare that any Uchiha betrayed the clan, in fact. He was full of a certain amount of self-hatred for even coming to the point in his life where mutiny was an option - Sasuke had always been full of pride and patriotism for his clan. And now where was he? Stealing taxi cabs and uniforms to secretly disband the clan's assigned mission. He felt sick and ashamed for taking someone else's life - another Uchiha's, at that. He felt like a helpless, stupid little kid. It reminded him that most Uchiha's lost their innocence of battle around the fresh age of 11 or 12 instead of 24. He felt like a wuss for crying. Itachi never cried. His dad never cried. Why did his eyes think it was socially acceptable for them to cry? It wasn't, not at all.

For a brief moment in time, he _had _felt unstoppable - racing to Sunagakure in a stolen car, stalking his way into the Kazekage's Building. One or two of these racy actions were found on a normal mission, and certainly not all jumbled up into the same day. It got his blood pumping and the adrenaline spun around in his head. He finally had a purpose - to help Naruto. And now here he was, lying over a dead Uchiha's body, a knife into his back.

Sasuke had never killed someone but that doesn't mean he's never tried. He's stabbed and been stabbed enough to know where vital points are and how much blood loss makes you a dead man walking - and his personal experiences barely even needed the assistance of a anatomy class while studying at the Academy, which taught the young Uchihas where vital spots were. This knife in his back, it was inches to the right of his spine and inches below his shoulder blade - whoever stabbed him knew what they were doing, and purposely missed a kill shot.

"Who...are you," he spoke, spitting the hair out of his mouth as his cheek was pressed hard against the motionless chest he was propped over. He felt his small stubbles of a beard pricking into the cottony weaves of the corpse's shirt.

Sasuke's ANBU mask was resting on the side of his face, obstructing his view, but he could sense the open-mouthed hesitancy of his captor and the sharp stiffness that rattled his arm, the one pinning down Sasuke, as if his words jarred his opponent.

"Sasuke?" He felt the hand pressing him down release slightly and Sasuke shot up, immediately recognizing the voice.

"Itachi?" Sasuke remembered the knife in his back and the pain returned to his brain instantly. Sasuke fell forward in writhing grit and landed in his elder brother's lap. His hand instinctively wrinkled over his brother's strong knee and squeezed down for support. He felt Itachi's flighty, gentle movements and his hands delicately lifted the ANBU mask off of his face.

"Sasuke!" His voice was hurried and hushed. Sasuke smiled and leaned in farther to hug Itachi. As he did he felt the knife carefully and slowly sliding out of his back while his brother applied pressure and mended his broken skin with a quick, sticky bandage. He wiped the blood with his forearm. Sasuke began swatting him away from his back, eager for a kind of relaxing, happy familiarity that only his brother could provide after so many weeks away from one another. The wound wasn't important; pain was pain, but his brother was a lifesaver.

"Sasuke, I'm sorry," Itachi said calmly, trying to mask the visibility of how upset he was that he hurt his brother. Sasuke didn't seem to care and was just happy to know his brother was still alive and well. He couldn't help but beam up at him the same way he did when he was a little boy. Itachi returned the kind face with a monotonous, subtly sweet expression.

"It's alright," he said in a fast tone. "I'll get over it."

"I didn't hit a vital spot, just so you know," he told him sheepishly. "I was just going to gather intel from you, thinking you were a traitor." Sasuke noticed that he wasn't in Konoha or Sunagakure ANBU uniform, he was still in his Uchiha assignment clothes. He didn't at all listen to what his brother had just said. Before he could open his mouth to ask the countless amount of questions he needed to know from his closest confidant, Itachi's vigilant eyes noticed something and he said, "Sasuke, why aren't you in Konoha?" Sasuke's beaming expression dropped. He was wearing the same face he did when he was a sixteen-year-old getting caught sneaking out of the house at night. "Sasuke," Itachi reiterated in a meaningless, threatening way.

"Well, uh-"

"Don't lie to me, Sasuke."

"Well, no, you see-"

"You're already lying!"

"Itachi!" he whined.

"Sasuke!" Itachi scolded in a harsh whisper. "What is going on?"

Sasuke breathed out deeply in exaggeration. "Okay, okay," he said. "You're not gunna like it, though."

"Try me."

Sasuke hesitated greatly. He looked his brother in the eye and saw someone willing to listen and understand, but also someone that would never be able to. Itachi and Sasuke? They were similar in the way that they had the same sense of humor and got along amazingly, but were different in the way that it was hard for them to see eye-to-eye on opinions. Sasuke grew up listening to Itachi and soaking up every word he said, and spent his adolescence secretly questioning everything Itachi believed in, knowing his gut felt the opposite of his brother. Itachi was diligent and sharp and obedient. He did things according to the law because it was the right thing to do and he wholeheartedly believed that. Following the rules and believing in the name of Uchiha made Itachi happy. Sasuke was a genius but he was impressionable and, once he realized this about himself, worked hard to question everything around him in fear that he'd be impressed by the wrong person, or someone who had a poor moral compass. Sasuke followed the law because it was the law, not because he wanted to. He knew every act and rule and duty by heart and he preformed them, but never bothered to think about whether or not he agreed with them, because he secretly knew he did not. And now that he found something he'd rather follow, something that made him happy, the regulations of the Uchiha clan slipped to the wayside - something Itachi wouldn't ever consider, not for himself, and not for his little brother, either.

"Sasuke," Itachi beckoned politely.

Sasuke had a quick twitch on the strangeness of where they were sitting and how they were having this conversation, and realized it was very inappropriate for the both of them. "I'll tell you," he told him. "But not here. And first - I'd like to move him," he pointed to the corpse beside him, but didn't dare look over at it. Itachi, who was smart and seasoned when it came to how to handle death on assignment, didn't look to see who it was. It was an Uchiha and they knew him enough to be attached and that was all he needed to know. He simply stood up and helped Sasuke take his body out of the dark hallway and into chambers where Sasuke had been crying in only minutes earlier.

"Okay," Itachi said, wiping his palms together after they successfully removed the Uchiha from his resting place. "So where should we talk?"

"The rooftop," Sasuke spoke instantly.

* * *

><p>Sasuke looked around as the light breeze blew through his sweaty, sticky hair and gave him clean oxygen in his lungs. The moon was full and bright and illuminated the world underneath it, leaving no room for artificial lighting to be necessary. Sasuke had never stopped to appreciate the simplicity of living in the desert until now. He looked out across the stucco buildings and markets and dark orange sky lines and breathed in the life before squatting down to the ground.<p>

"Come here," he called to Itachi, who had been marveling out at the view from the other side of the rooftop. Itachi looked around suspiciously to make sure no one was around or listening, before he joined his brother on the ground.

"So," Itachi said quietly, his brow knitting firmly together. "What's going on? Why are you here?"

"I have to tell you something important," Sasuke said, clapping his hands together. "And you know I could only tell this to you, brother to brother."

Itachi's eyes scanned over his smaller siblings face, calculating every detail out of his flesh until he was left pale and full of a secret story. He folded his arms, his chin downwards into the high collar of his Uchiha uniform. "You've done something horrible, haven't you?"

Sasuke rolled his lips together. "Not yet," he said after some time had passed. "But I probably will have to at some point."

"You've betrayed the clan," he whispered out to his brother, whose wordless reply said everything he couldn't. Itachi exhaled sharply through his nostrils and looked to the ground and then out to the sky before turning back to his brother. Sasuke could tell by his shoulder posture slowly creeping up that he was now nervous to even speak with him, but Itachi had more courage than that. "Even debating mutiny is still mutiny," he whispered in a faint murmur.

"I know what it is that I'm doing," Sasuke said in a tone that begged Itachi to skip the life lesson portion of their conversation. He did have time for Itachi to try and convince him to change his mind. Itachi seemed to react in a way that told Sasuke he knew he couldn't change his brother's mind.

"I see," he said finally, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "How come you're planning to do this?"

Sasuke tried to find the words to explain what he couldn't, what he felt inside. "I don't know that you'd understand," he said honestly. "And I'm not sure it matters for you to know."

"Is this a 'you' thing?" he asked, which is what he asked when Sasuke was talking about his romances. That's what Itachi always referred to it as - a 'Sasuke' thing. Affectionately, of course, since he saw no harm in his brother's ways of going after the same sex as himself. Speaking of it, however, made him uncomfortable - as far as Sasuke could tell. He nodded in reply.

"Oh Sasuke," he shook his head and walked away. Sasuke followed him around the rooftop with his eyes. Itachi paced about for a long while before his pacing encircled Sasuke for a few times. Sasuke could read on his sallow, waning face that he had millions of ideas and questions milling about in his mind, all of which he was trying to sort through and conquer. Sasuke always appreciated that Itachi was so willing to try and see eye-to-eye with others. He was principled and stuck to his own no matter what, but he was always willing to try and understand his peers. Sasuke envied that quality in him as he watched his brother think and sort his thoughts. Soon after, Itachi stopped beside his brother and they both faced the starlit city.

"I'm not trying to betray the clan," he told Itachi. "But I need to do this...for him. And I'm not asking you to help me because this is my prerogative and I can't bog you down with what I'm doing with my life. I'm not telling you this because I want your help I just need you to try and understand - as my brother."

"I do understand," Itachi's response was quick and thoughtful and it almost took Sasuke by surprise. "And I am going to help you - but in my own way."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "You are?"

"Yes," his brother smiled cutely at him. "What are big brothers for?"

"Itachi, you don't have to do this, you know," Sasuke said curtly. "And I'd prefer if you didn't, honestly. You know what it means to betray the clan and it isn't your goal to betray the Uchiha."

"It isn't yours, either," Itachi reasoned. "Besides, I'm not entirely happy with this mission myself." He looked down before eyeing Sasuke critically and lovingly. "I should have listened to you that night of the assignment's meeting. You tried telling me I couldn't do this, and I think you're right."

"I was?"

"You were," he grinned. "I don't have any desire to betray my people, or even this mission. I have it in me to see this assignment of mine all the way through, and I must. But I'd prefer not to have to kill Minato or Kushina. I admire him far too much to inflict any type of damage to him or his city. I can't do anything personally, but I can help you."

"I just need you to buy me time," Sasuke said. Itachi chewed on his thumbnail, which is what he always did when he was plotting hard and carefully. Sasuke watched him intently just as he always did, waiting for their next move.

"I think I can do a bit more than that."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning I can get you to where Minato and Kushina are being held."

"They're already hostage?" Sasuke asked incredulously.

"Yes," Itachi said. "Only Konoha's Root ANBU regime knows of this so far. Apparently the Root is a bit different than the ANBU Black Ops, they're more powerful. But the point it that only a handful of people know this information, the Kazekage made it so. A grand majority of that city knows about the Sunagakure troops lining up outside because the officials have the city on lockdown; no one can leave or enter Konoha anymore. Come tomorrow evening it will be announced that Minato and Kushina have been killed."

"But they haven't."

"No," Itachi agreed. "That is when your mission would have come about. They'd then tell the Black Ops officials that they were holding them ransom against their son, the one you've been body guarding."

"His name is Naruto."

"Okay well, that's when you would have held him hostage," Itachi said impatiently. "My assignment is to secure Minato and Kushina and make sure they stay put in their holding cell. Because that's my only part of this mission, that's all I'm allowed to know about it so I can't help you after that."

"You don't know the rest?"

"Did you even know that?" Itachi pointed out. Sasuke shrugged amenably and shook his head. "In these types of missions, father makes sure you only know as much as you need to and nothing more. It's for clan security purposes - to keep you safe. If you know more and you get captured, you could be tortured for further information. Father only tells you what you need to know so that you're considered innocent by law."

"So how are you planning on helping me?" Sasuke asked.

"At four pm today it's my shift to guard the holding cell of Minato and Kushina. I can get you in there and that's when you'll leave freely with them."

"If they're gone while you're in charge of them, they'll suspect it's your fault," Sasuke explained.

"No," Itachi retorted. "The Kazekage has two Suna Black Ops members for every Uchiha so I'll have two other people with me watching the cell. If you can take one out and sneak in as a Suna agent, I can take out the other one and stage a fight so it looks as if the Kazekage was betrayed by one of his own."

"Brilliant!"

"But from there," Itachi held a finger up to his brother, halting his jovial procession. "You're on your own. I want nothing else to do with this, I don't even want to know your plan," he warned before plucking his brother in the forehead with his finger. Sasuke retracted and nursed his throbbing forehead with the palm of his hand.

"I hate when you do that."

* * *

><p>Naruto awoke from a near-sleepless night to a ANBU truck rattling down his stony driveway. From nothing else to do, Naruto saddled himself up out of bed and walked to the window. He drew the curtains and watched aimlessly as Chouza hopped down from the driver's seat and began walking towards the front door. Weird. Nobody - especially the chief of the ANBU - uses an official vehicle alone. Naruto got a cold feeling from the sight and raced downstairs to meet him.<p>

"Good morning, Naruto," his voice was cheery but his face seemed grim and tired. Naruto stared uncomfortably at him, forgetting to respond to his greeting. Instead, he stepped aside and welcomed him into his home full of all his sleeping friends.

"Choji is here?" Chouza asked awkwardly, looking around the vast foyer with his hands behind his back. He poked at a statue before retracting his arm quickly in fear of breaking something in the Hokage's mansion.

"Yes," Naruto told him, walking into the kitchen for some tea. "All of my friends are," he added casually. He filled a tea pot full of water and seamlessly strutted to the kitchen counter and sat on top of it. Chouza took to a dining chair and cleared his throat.

"And your bodyguard?"

"He's good," Naruto lied. "Still sleeping."

"Ahh, okay," Chouza said. Naruto studied the man's sleepless, fleeting face and saw a worried look in his small eyes.

"So," Naruto trailed off. "Not to sound rude but, why exactly are you here?"

Chouza looked around suspiciously. "All of your friends, they're asleep?" Naruto nodded questionably. "I came here because I have to tell you something. In privacy."

"What is it?"

"The ANBU," Chouza said quietly, his whisper nearly silent. "I can't control them."

"You can't control them?"

"_Shh!" _he scolded Naruto for his normal, inside voice.

"Sorry," Naruto whispered. "You can't control them?"

"No," he shook his head helplessly. "And I don't know why. Even Danzo won't speak with me."

"What do you mean?" Naruto implored. "I don't understand what you mean."

"I think they got some sort of information. Information they aren't sharing with me."

"Chouza," Naruto began. "You're the leader of the ANBU, they can't _not _tell you things," he reminded him. "It wouldn't make sense. You're their boss."

"I'm just telling you what I know," Chouza told him. "I told you I would keep you updated and I am. I can't talk to any of them but I know them. I know them all like the back of my hand. And you know Danzo, he's been trying to get my job for years now. I think he ran into some information and he won't disclose it to me. I'm guessing that only a select few Root members know about what's going on."

Naruto threw his head back. Stupid, typical Danzo - always trying to one up people and choosing the worst times to do it. Didn't he know Naruto's parents were missing? Didn't he realize the city could soon be a Sunagakure-based city? Didn't he know _anything_? Now was poor timing to try and stage a coup on his boss.

"Do you have any ideas as to what it is they're hiding from you?" Naruto asked. He dragged his knee up to his chest and rested his elbow on it, covering his face with his palm. He didn't feel like being seen right now, or dealing with any of this right now. He wanted to disappear back into a sleep where nothing was stressful or imperative or hurtful.

"Some," Chouza said. "None of them are too nice, though."

"We're dealing with a possible war here, Mr. Akimichi, there's nothing pleasant about any of this," he corrected.

"True," Chouza agreed. After some time he said, "I think you're parents might be in trouble, kid."

Naruto's eyes shot up and met his instantly. His eyes shot up and he saw gray, grave eyes staring at him sadly. In retrospect, he wasn't sure why the sound of that was so surprising. This was a war, after all, and his father was at the epicenter of it. The quickest way to take down a city is to take down their leader. And yet, the thought of that... it didn't seem right. And it didn't seem like anything Naruto would ever be able to wrap his head around.

"You really think so?" he found himself saying in a meek voice. He heard the tea pot shake and scream for relief but his muscles refused to move. After a while it seemed as though his ears refused to hear it anymore.

Chouza shrugged helplessly. "I don't know what else it could be." Seeing that Naruto was immobile, he offered himself up out of his seat and took the tea pot off of the hot plate of the stove and placed it gently onto a cold one. He didn't bother pouring any of it because he didn't want tea, and he knew Naruto wouldn't want any either.

"So...so what do we do?" Naruto looked to him for guidance.

Chouza stared long and hard at the scared, emotionally drained boy. His blonde hair seemed nearly white and his normally-blue eyes seemed sunken in and darkened. Chouza wished with all of his might that be could say something helpful or offer him some sort of relief from this worry, but he knew it was futile. All he could say to the young Namikaze was, "All we can do is hope for a miracle."

Shortly after this Chouza made his way back to the ANBU vehicle and drove off, leaving Naruto by his front door in a quiet agony.

His parents could die. At any moment. And there was nothing he could do to save them.

The thought was sickening and strange and it made the word seem gray and quiet. Naruto only personally knew of one individual who could help him solve this whole thing while also making him feel better - but those thoughts were useless. Sasuke wasn't coming back. Naruto didn't want to accept this reality as what it is, but he knew that he'd have to. He was never going to see Sasuke again, which was a good thing. Now all he had to stop doing was waiting for him to return and be his hero.

* * *

><p>4:21 pm.<p>

The thud of an unconscious body hit the floor hard and Sasuke quickly swapped his Sunagakure ANBU mask for the new one. Itachi told him to do this as the Kazekage was keen on which agent was where, so he needed to catch this particular "agent" in action before betraying the city. He swiped the ceramic fox mask over his face and left the dark room before securing the agent.

As he exited the room he heard another loud thud before Itachi whipped around the corner. He gave Sasuke a blank, omnipotent stare before the two brothers nodded at one another and returned silent goodbyes. Itachi retreated back to his watching post before faking an unconscious fall onto the ground beside the Sunagakure troop he knocked out. Itachi was a good faker - every Uchiha was. You had to be, just in case.

Sasuke looked at his very dead-seeming brother for one last ounce of hope before he latched onto the large metal handle that would open the door to the Namikaze's.

* * *

><p>Hi everyone!<p>

I'm giving you this chapter almost bittersweet because this story is almost over and, well , because I love you guys! I don't wanna get mushy but this is my first every crack at writing a full fledged story and I see my page views go up and my review count go up and it makes me so happy that people other than just me love this story. Thank you :)

Also...I'm working on a new story. Should be submitted either sometime this week or after chapter 18 of this story is published!

Please remember to read and review!


	18. Brotherhood

Chapter 18: Brotherhood

"You must be worried," Kakashi said ever-too casually to the blonde haired boy. He was Naruto's second random visitor of the day and, although he always loved having the Hatake around, he was getting tired of people dropping in on him. Didn't they understand how much he had on his plate? He didn't need Chouza pushing his work problems on him or Kakashi stopping in for some haphazard chit-chat. The day was dark and quiet and all he wanted was a phone call - from his mother, his father, Sasuke...anyone. And yet, he hated each time the phone rang, always picking it up and hearing someone else's voice. Since Chouza's departure, he had been making sure that his most faithful agents called Naruto to keep tabs on him and make sure he was alright. When he saw Kakashi pull up into the driveway, he assumed that's the only reason he was visiting. After all, Kakashi was the most anti-social person Naruto knew; he wasn't one to just show up on a whim.

Naruto sighed. "I guess so," he muttered. "I don't really know what I am right now."

"That's normal in high-pressure situations," he said carelessly. Naruto always hated how cavalier Kakashi sounded when talking about such grave issues. His parents were missing and possibly dead, and Kakashi was too busy smelling the roses to understand. But he knew Kakashi did understand, deep down. He just preferred to stay optimistic.

"Have you heard any news lately?" Naruto asked him. Aside from his group of friends camping out in his home, Naruto had no contact with the outside world. He wasn't sure if it was fear that kept him away from the newspaper or television, or the fact that the ANBU kept him locked up in his home, but Naruto had a sudden distaste for seeing the city. He imagined it desolate and empty, families and children looking out their windows at the empty streets and making sure troops weren't marching in. He knew he was being irrational, and that most of Konoha was told that this was a very low-key situation, but he couldn't help picturing that.

"Nothing entirely new," Kakashi said. He began kicking his heel against Naruto's backboard with his hands slumped into his pant pockets. Kakashi was the only one Naruto allowed on his bed - he really hated people in his room except for Kakashi, who moved freely throughout the large estate as if he were a resident. And Sasuke, whom Naruto would never turn away - that is, when he wasn't a liar.

"Chouza is worried for his ANBU regiment," Naruto stated. One-on-one conversations with Chouza were severely top secret, but Kakashi was the only agent who floated in and out of every social and business circle. He was valued by Danzo just as much as he was by Chouza and Minato and Naruto - he was allowed to know.

"He doesn't have too much to worry about, Danzo is just being Danzo. And, if he stays true to form, his new plan for leadership will fail too," Kakashi mused. Naruto scoffed. "Just as the past plans have."

"True," he replied.

"Besides, I already filled in Chouza on what the Root discovered."

Naruto whipped around from looking outside the window. He took a few eager steps towards Kakashi. "You did?" Kakashi nodded innocently. "What about?"

Kakashi squinted in suspicion.

"Chouza will tell me anyway, he's agreed to keep me in the loop," Naruto swore.

After a few moments of silent deliberation, Kakashi said, "Sunagakure will be announcing the death of your parents tonight."

Naruto's eyes widened tiredly and his dry, aging lips cracked ever so slightly.

"It's all a lie, though."

"What do you mean a lie?" They were alright? They were safe? He could stop pulling his hair out over this?

Kakashi smacked his lips and Naruto read a thorough thought process on his face.

"What is it?" he asked. "Tell me."

"Well," Kakashi's sigh sounded more like a groan. "It seems as though I've already said to much and now it's impossible for me to not tell you the rest."

"Damn right it is!"

"But you have to promise me something, Naruto," his words were clear and defined and serious. Naruto nodded strongly in response.

"Anything."

"You cannot act on these words. You can't do or say anything to anyone about what I'm about to tell you. I know you, and I know how hyperactive and knuckle-headed you can be. You cannot under any circumstances leave this house to try and fix this or get revenge or fight anyone or nothing. Get it?"

"Got it." Kakashi knew that reply was subject to change immediately when Naruto heard his words. He knew Naruto. He knew his promise would fall on deaf ears. Naruto was volatile and hardheaded. _He_ was subject to change.

"Chouza will not tell you what I'm about to," he began. "That's why I came over. I'm telling you because this isn't the time to keep secrets from people involved. This isn't the time to begin a civil war within our ranks, when a war against a strong country is looming over our heads."

"I agree. So tell me." Naruto sat down on the floor in front of Kakashi and waited with bated breath. In the back of his mind he filed the fact that Chouza wasn't planning on tell him something despite their agreement. He would be mad about that later.

"A few days ago, Sunagakure had captured a Root agent. They released him with the information that they will be announcing to the general public the death of Minato and Kushina Namikaze. It's all a lie. In turn, they want you to be held ransom. So this means that there's either a spy or someone who will be planted by Sungakure who will come shortly to capture you and hold you hostage in order to get Minato to do their bidding, whatever that may be. Apparently you father isn't going down without a fight, so they want you to convince him - forcibly, of course."

Naruto's vision blurred and he didn't bother refocusing his eyes. He stared into a blankness as his throat dried up and his lungs stopped taking in oxygen. His mind stopped processing thoughts and his muscles went limp.

_Sasuke._

So Sasuke wasn't lying. Sasuke really _was_ a horrible person. He was a liar who told the truth and nothing but the truth. The Uchiha's really are helping Sunagakure. They really are trying to take over Konoha. Sasuke really is helping them.

It was a relieving thing to hear in one way, that his parents weren't really dead. His father was putting up a fight. They were both okay. That was good news. But it was bittersweet.

Maybe Naruto had been holding onto the hope that it was all a lie, what Sasuke told him. Maybe he was hoping and praying Sasuke just wasn't ready for love and fled for that reason. Maybe he was hoping Sasuke was taking apart this assignment in the name of love. Maybe he was hoping Sasuke would save the day, be a secret shadow that flies under the radar and rips open the entire operation. Maybe he was having trouble letting go of his first love just like Naruto was.

But he wasn't. He wasn't doing any of those things. Although Sasuke had told Naruto this to his face, it didn't resonate until the unknowing, innocent Kakashi Hatake told him. Kakashi couldn't be apart of Sasuke's web of lies - he didn't even know Sasuke. If Minato secured the Uchiha's name as he was supposed to while on assignment, Kakashi would have never even heard of the name Sasuke, which meant this was the truth. Kakashi was telling the truth which, unfortunately, was exactly what Sasuke told him.

Sasuke was gone. He was helping the enemy. He _was _the enemy.

"Naruto?" Kakashi said quietly, catching a look of secretive panic on the boy's face.. He placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder and he looked up, erasing his train of thoughts.

"It's okay," he reassured. "Really. It's good news."

"Good news?" Kakashi repeated. Naruto nodded sparingly. "Naruto, I don't think you understand. Your life is in danger."

"But my parents are alright," he insisted. "All this time I've been worried about them, thinking that they're dead. But they're not, they're okay. So I'm okay. I'll get to see them again. I'll get to get in trouble for going to prison again. I'll get to tell them I love them again."

Kakashi breathed out slowly. "Not if you're dead, you know."

"I'll be fine," Naruto waved him off. "I always am." Naruto smiled and Kakashi returned his smile weakly. He was unconvinced, Naruto knew. He didn't care, though.

"So what's bothering you then?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto lifted an eyebrow in confused. "What do you mean?"

"Naruto, I know you," Kakashi smirked. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing," he stated simply with a shrug.

Kakashi stood up and looked the Namikaze up and down. "Mhm," he breathed. He didn't believe Naruto at all. "I just figured you'd be upset and want to tell Sasuke or something."

_Sasuke._

Once again Naruto felt the nauseating feeling of the world's orbit coming to a halt. It was the third time in the past two days and he was getting tired of it. He wanted the earth to keep moving onward. He needed it to do that for him.

"Sasuke?" he repeated and his tongue instantly recoiled; he hadn't spoke of that name since he last saw him lying on his doorstep all bloodied and beaten by his own fists. "You know his name?" Naruto asked carefully. "That's impossible."

"Naruto, I'm not stupid. I can spot Uchiha's from a million miles away," he said matter-of-factly. "Jiraiya spoke of his name at the gallery opening and I knew it was a foreign name. It was very Uchiha-sounding so I put two-and-two together. It only seemed plausible that Minato would choose an Uchiha to be your bodyguard, after all. They seem to be the only ones strong enough to keep you in line," he joked lightheartedly.

Naruto looked at him in a quiet reply. He heard him and listened to him and he understood what Kakashi was saying but he didn't get any of it.

"You know Sasuke?" he heard himself say it over and over again in his head, unable to wrap his mind around it. All he could think of was the night on the rooftop. Sitting in front of the Hokage's Monument. Marveling over Sasuke marveling over the monument. Listening to Sasuke's tragic love story of Obito and Kakashi as told by him. Being kissed by him. Secretly liking it and secretly believing his story completely, but being too prideful and stubborn to admit it to the Uchiha. He remembers he went to sleep well that night, unlike most nights. He slept with a smile that night. He felt a faint smile creep onto his lips at the memories, but quickly swiped it away when he realized what he was thinking of.

"I've never met him before, but I assume all Uchiha's are the same - well," Kakashi hesitated greatly and Naruto looked up at him curiously. "Most of them, at least," he added in a mumble, picking at his lip with his thumb. He chewed his cheek in thought as if he subconsciously believed he had said too much. "Well, at any rate," he continued, standing up. "Uchiha's make damn good bodyguards and you would do well to stick close by him," he said.

"Deal," Almost immediately Naruto felt guilty for lying to his best friend. Kakashi was like an older brother to him. He didn't like lying to Kakashi. Anyone but him.

"And don't trust anyone but the usuals," Kakashi warned. The anti-social streak in him had him heading for door only minutes after his arrival. "Like me or Chouza. Don't trust Danzo or anyone else you feel uncomfortable around. Trust your bodyguard. He's an Uchiha. He knows what he's doing." Naruto already knew that fact, up close and personal. "Stay safe and guarded. I must leave for now, but I'll come back later to check on you."

"Right."

Naruto walked Kakashi down to the front door.

For some reason, Naruto's gut was wrenching and puzzled. He felt confused and a mixture of anxiety and hope fluttered about and he clutched onto his stomach in self-hatred. Why was he _still_ holding on to a hope that Sasuke was going to be a good guy? He had every reason to hate this man. So why? Because Kakashi trusts Uchihas? Maybe, but the last time he trusted one he was blinded and heartbroken. Kakashi was just stupid. Blind in more ways than one. He shouldn't trust Uchiha's like he does. Naruto couldn't fall down into that rabbit hole, too. He had to be on the lookout and yet... Sasuke.

_Sasuke. _

"Kakashi-" he spoke abruptly. Kakashi turned towards him in foyer.

"Yes Naruto?" he said nonchalantly. "What is it-" before he could finish his question, Naruto had him by the arm and was dragging him towards the private office off of a back room in his home. He shoved him into the office and shut the door behind them, locking them in.

"I need to tell you something, and I need you to tell me something in return."

* * *

><p>Sasuke stood outside of the doors to the chamber that held Minato and Kushina Namikaze captive. He clutched onto a kunai with two hands, full forced. He breathed in through his nose and out of his mouth a few times to catch a regularity in his breathing. He was nervous? This was rare, especially for him. He was never nervous. Hopping up on adrenaline, maybe, but never nervous. Is this what it felt like to betray your family? He was about to find out.<p>

Sasuke entered the chamber door and shut the large metal slab behind him, pushing the steel lock into the door jam so that he was alone.

His back was towards the room but he could sense the presence of people along with him. He took another last, large breath before turning around.

And there they were. Chained and shackled by their hands and feet, side by side in the middle of a dark room, a single spotlight shining down on them like the full moon. They were tired and thinner than they were the last time Sasuke saw them. They were dejected and humiliated, but there was a strong and stubborn glint in their pasty, hooded eyes.

Sasuke said nothing, but he raced forward towards the shackles that bound them. He went after Kushina first and ran at full speed, charging as if he were about to run straight through her. She let out a frightening, shrill scream at the sight of a Sunagakure agent coming at her with a knife and squeezed her eyes shut. Minato let out a cry of helplessness and watched instantly as the kunai missed his wife and broke the chains that captured her instead.

Kushina opened her eyes slowly before realizing one of her arms was free. Before she could react, Sasuke was breaking the rest of the chains off of her.

"I'm...I'm free," she looked down at her mobile hands and clenched them tightly, balling her fingers into fists and then out again. She wove her arms together and took a few steps in place before stretching her stiff muscles and limbs. "Minato! I'm free!" she laughed jovially as she watched the Sunagakure troop break her husband away from his chains as well. Sasuke stood back and watched as he collected his wife into a big, happy hug as she began to cry.

"Wait," Minato spoke, his voice raspy, as if he had been silent for a long time. He lightly pushed his wife behind him in protection. "Who are you and why did you do this?" he asked sternly.

"I'm helping you," Sasuke said back monotonously.

"But why?"

"Because," Sasuke said, putting away his kunai. "I'm not a Sunagakure citizen."

Minato seemed reluctant at first, but couldn't complain or argue. He had no proof against this claim and he _had _just been saved by this masked man.

"So who are you then?" Kushina perked up.

Sasuke hesitated before he responded. "I'm one of your own," he said simply.

"You're a Konoha agent?" Minato questioned. Sasuke didn't reply. He didn't want to lie to the Hokage, but he also had no interest in explaining what exactly he was doing here. Sasuke knew Naruto hated him. There was no point in bragging to Naruto about how he rescued his parents; even the truth couldn't save their love at this point. At least, not to Sasuke it couldn't.

"Well, well thank you," he spoke with an impressed and grateful tone. "Thank you very, very much," he whipped up Sasuke's hand and began shaking it vigorously. "Your dangerous efforts are extremely appreciated, I can assure you that," he was talking rapidly, a sign that he was excited (Sasuke learned that tick from Naruto). "Sir, can I have your name so I can thank one of my own in person?"

"That won't be necessary," Sasuke retorted uncomfortably, caught off guard by the question.

"Please, sir," he pressed. Sasuke caught a wary look from Kushina, bravely cowering behind her husband, her hand firmly on his small shoulder. Minato's eyes were thankful and eager and his handshake continued on and on. Sasuke figured he wouldn't stop until the mask was off.

"Well," he hesitated. "Alright."

Minato and Kushina took a step back and Sasuke removed the ceramic fox-faced masked from his head and stepped into the white spotlight. The light was bright and was near-blinding. Dust particles floated within the air in the full luminescense of the glow and Minato and Kushina squinted to see. When she caught a glimpse, Kushina jumped back, yanking Minato with her, and let out a scream.

"Traitor!" she called out. "You're helping them!"

Sasuke put his hands up in a motion to calm her down, but Kushina was relentless. Minato was staring emotionally, looking over and over at Sasuke's bare face in the spotlight. His face looked lonely and betrayed and his hand had made it's way up to where Kushina was holding his shoulder.

"Please-"

"You're one of them," Kushina said through gritted teeth. "The Uchiha's are helping Sunagakure!"

"_Shh_!"

"Don't tell me what to do!" she lunged to smack him, but Sasuke dodged the small attack. Minato quickly grabbed ahold of his wife to contain her.

"Let go of me!" she shook him off ferociously. "This man is a liar!" she pointed at Sasuke rudely. "He's been in on it this entire time, Minato! He's been living in our home, taking care of our son! And he's a traitor!"

The sound of his son reached Minato's brain-dead head and suddenly his mind began turning again. He looked Sasuke square in the eye. "Where's my son," it wasn't a question.

"Naruto is fine," Sasuke said reassuringly. "I promise you that."

"Liar!-" Minato held her back and motioned for Sasuke to continue.

"He's still in Konoha at home, unchained and unguarded. He's probably better off that way, honestly," he continued.

"Then why are you here?" Minato chose his words carefully.

"I'm here to break you two out and return you to Konoha," he told them the truth. He could see it in Minato's eyes that the Hokage was already convinced Sasuke was telling the truth. He was quick to trust, Sasuke noted, but this time it was a good quality for him to have.

"But why?" Kushina spat interrogatively.

Sasuke breathed out. "It's a long story," he looked away and licked his lips. "A long story." Minato cocked his head to the side. Kushina shot Sasuke a mean, puzzled look, but her body language seemed to comply with the idea of leaving this city with him.

Wordlessly, Sasuke ushered the couple out of the cell, out of the Sunagakure building, and a mile west of the city where he parked his stolen taxi car.

* * *

><p>"What do you want to know?" Kakashi asked.<p>

"I wanna know what happened with Obito Uchiha," he said quickly; for some reason he found himself scared to say that name aloud, especially in the presence of Kakashi. He had never heard anyone mention the name to him, and on the rare occasions that he and his father or Jiraiya discussed it, the name always came out in a whisper.

Kakashi's neck reacted a slight, stiff motion and Naruto noticed an uncomfortable posture set into the Hatake's body. Naruto swallowed hard and half of his heart regret asking - but he needed to know. He needed to know how much of a liar Sasuke truly was. He felt bad that that was the reason he was asking his dearest friend such a painful question, but it was important. He needed to know this.

"Obito Uchiha, huh," he said breathily. Naruto figured he hadn't said that name out loud in years. "Where is this all coming from?"

"I'll tell you soon enough," Naruto replied. "Please tell me the story, though."

Kakashi and Naruto sat down on the carpeted rug and he told the Namikaze the story about him and Obito Uchiha. It was the exact same story that Sasuke told to Naruto. He explained that the two were working on a joint assignment together and that they became friends. Soon after befriending one another the two became lovers but, because Obito was an Uchiha, their love was forbidden. They tried to conceal their love but someone caught on to Obito sneaking out of the Uchiha territory to see Kakashi and told the authorities, fearing that Kakashi was simply using Obito to spy on the clan. The Uchiha Clan asked Obito to denounce his love for Kakashi and say it was all a lie and that if he did so, they would both be free. If he did not, they would both be killed. Obito, to save Kakashi's life, said it was an unrequited love. On the day of his execution, Kakashi snuck into the Uchiha Clan territory to rescue him, but Obito refused, saying that the clan would find them and kill them both. He was trying to push Kakashi out the door when he slipped and took Kakashi down to the ground with him. During the fall Kakashi landed wrong on a weapon and his eye was gouged. Obito forced him to leave the Clan territory to seek medical attention, and was killed the same night. For a while it was all unknown to Konoha, but because the Uchiha's began relentlessly seeking Kakashi to take him out (just in case), he was forced to come clean to Minato and his ANBU official's, which sparked the rumors about he and Obito in the first place. The Hokage intervened and told the Uchiha Clan that if they did not stop, their services would never be used again. The Clan shortly after ceased all search parties for Kakashi Hatake.

"So...so that all really happened?" Naruto asked in disbelief.

"That's exactly what happened," Kakashi said, looking off into the distance, daydreaming. "From beginning to end."

"He loved you," Naruto said. "So he sacrificed himself to protect you."

"Yeah."

Naruto didn't know what to think now. Sasuke, a liar and a traitor through-and-through, told the truth about the single most important detail Naruto knew about the clan? Sure, there was the incident with Madara Uchiha, but Naruto wasn't alive for that. He didn't hold any special vendetta against the clan for that. His true hatred for the clan dwelled from the lie story he heard about Obito Uchiha. He hated the Uchiha's because he was one of the few to hear down the grapevine, that Obito Uchiha blinded Kakashi and betrayed him. He hated the Uchihas because one of his favorite people was hurt by them. And Sasuke, knowing this, told him the truth.

"I never discussed it with anyone or told anyone in Konoha the full and true story because I was trying to protect the clan. I told your father as much as I had to in order for him to intervene. Obito loved the Uchiha clan, he wasn't trying to put his family in harm's way. But the heart wants what the heart wants," he spoke solemnly. "And he wanted me. And even his love for his clan couldn't break that from him."

"And you loved him back," Naruto figured. "That's why you protected his clan even after his death? Even after they killed an innocent lover? Because you knew he wouldn't want that embarrassment and shame on them?"

"Exactly."

Naruto looked away and his eyesight drifted off out the window. Hearing all of this... it opened so many doors. Sasuke could still be out there? He could have possibly meant it when he loved Naruto? It was all the truth? It was a tough idea for Naruto to wrap his head around; he had spent the past fifty hours reluctantly convincing himself that Sasuke was the face of evil and that he was the worst type of human being. So badly had he not wanted to believe that and now? Now he had reason to keep his hopes alive that maybe, just maybe, Sasuke was out there for him.

"So why did you want to know this? And what did you have to tell me in return?" Kakashi asked, moving on.

"Oh, right," Naruto chuckled sheepishly. "Well, you see-"

"This is about Sasuke, isn't it?" Kakashi asked, cutting off his sentence.

"How did you know?!"

"I know you all too well," Kakashi crossed his arms and smiled triumphantly. He loved when he was able to read Naruto's mind.

"Ugh!" Naruto dramatically threw himself back onto the ground and rolled around. "My life sucks," he complained.

"Tell me everything, Naruto," Kakashi beckoned casually, leaning back and getting comfortable. "I've got all day for you."

* * *

><p>"May I have my mask, please?" he asked Minato politely. Minato took the Konoha ANBU mask off of the floor and handed it to Sasuke. Driving back into Fire Country territory, Sasuke had changed back into his Konoha ANBU uniform, just in case he was seen with the Hokage in tow. He muttered a 'thank you' to Minato and put his mask on.<p>

"You know, kid," Kushina spoke up from the back seat, staring aimlessly out the window. "This is a total betrayal of your clan."

"I know," Sasuke agreed.

"You must have a good reason to do this, then," Minato piped in, sending a musing grin over to Sasuke, who didn't catch the feeling the Hokage wanted him to. He winked at the Uchiha who looked away awkwardly.

"I do," he replied promptly.

"Whatever, or _whoever_, you're doing this for - you must really love them, huh?"

Sasuke pulled the car over to the same curb he had the taxi driver pull over to prior to his unassigned trip to Sunagakure. He looked over at Minato, who kept the same smile on his face. Sasuke couldn't help but sneer at the Hokage in an embarrassed, grimacing sort of way and he became happy that he was wearing a mask in that moment. He wasn't glad to see such a strange, jolly expression from the Hokage, but was very glad that the Hokage couldn't see him blushing. Did he know about Naruto? He couldn't possibly, he's been away for a month, after all.

"Yes, well," Sasuke cleared his throat and whipped off his seat belt. "This is where we part ways," he instructed. "I was planning on you two taking this taxi back into Konoha. I can travel back to the Uchiha clan territory on my own time."

"But what will you tell your clan when you get back and without Naruto?" Kushina asked, concerned. After the hours-long car ride, she began to trust the Uchiha once more, and her platonic love for the male returned back to her.

"I'll make do," he assured the woman, who wasn't reassured in the slightest bit. In truth, Sasuke still hadn't the slightest clue of how he was going to get out of this one or what he was going to tell his father about the failed assignment. Failing assignments - especially huge ones - wasn't tolerated.

In that moment, a long, black, familiar-looking limousine pulled up and parked by the curb in front of the taxi.

"Is that my car?" Minato asked, surveying the limo. When the chauffeur opened the car door, Chouza Akimichi left the backseat and began walking towards the taxi. The three jumped out of the yellow car and met Chouza on the sidewalk. He was standing sternly with his shoulders back and two ANBU agents flanking a few feet behind him.

"Chouza?" Minato asked. "How did you know we'd be here? You have fantastic timing, by the way."

"We received a message early this morning saying that the Hokage and his wife would be here around this time today. We knew it wasn't just a hoax because the person knew a Konoha ANBU password that is classified; only an insider would know this password, so we figured it must be the real you!" he greeted Minato with a warm, hearty handshake, but Minato pulled him in for a hug. Kushina followed suit and Sasuke watched from behind the mask.

"You must be the one who called me," Chouza turned to Sasuke, who nodded silently in reply.

An ANBU password? He didn't know any ANBU password, at least none that he knew he knew. Sasuke thought back to what it may be, but found no answers. While in thought, he didn't realize Kushina had already relocated to the back of Minato's limousine along with the ANBU agents and Chouza. Minato lovingly placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"You should come back with us," he said quietly. "Naruto will be happy to see you."

Sasuke scoffed. "I don't think that's a good idea," he responded. "I don't think he'd be too happy to see me, honestly," he shoved his hands in his pockets and shuffled his feet awkwardly. "He hates me now."

Minato wordlessly moved towards the limousine, but looked back on Sasuke once more. "You're wrong, you know," he told the young Uchiha. "If my son loved you even half as much as I can see that you love him, then he'll be forever waiting for you to return."

Sasuke's heart pounced into his stomach at this and watched blankly as Minato climbed into the back of his car and drove away back into Konoha.

It was over. Everything. It was finally all over.

-NSNSNSNS-

_"So that's why Obito was killed last week?" Sasuke had asked Itachi. He plopped down on the back porch and let his short legs dangle off as he swung them back and forth in a kicking motion._

_"Yeah," Itachi said in a sad tone. "I'm heartbroken, honestly," he told his little brother. "I loved him as if he were an elder brother to me."_

_"Having an older brother is nice," Sasuke smiled, trying to cheer up his brother in the cute, little-brother-kind-of way. Itachi affectionately placed his hand on the boy's head and scratched him in a petting motion. _

_"Good thing you have one, then," he said. After a few moments, he looked at his little brother and said, "Can I tell you a secret?"_

_"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" Sasuke leapt up and began tugging on Itachi's ponytail and arms and shoulders. "Tell me a secret Itachi! Tell me a secret!"_

_"Alright, alright," he smiled. "But you have to promise you won't tell anyone about this. Not even mom and dad."_

_"Really?!"_

_"Really."_

_"Okay I promise you I won't," he told him. "I swear it!"_

_"Okay, okay," Itachi mused. "Obito told me a super top secret password into the ANBU of Konoha," Itachi told his brother, whose eyes widened like the moon and his mouth opened._

_"For real?"_

_"Really," Itachi laughed. "Wanna hear the secret code? He learned it from Kakashi, whose an ANBU agent."_

_"Of course I wanna know the secret code word, Itachi!"_

_"It's the word '__Amaterasu'," he whispered. "Don't tell anyone. But always remember that, just in case there ever comes a day that 'Amaterasu' comes in handy for you." He plucked his brother's forehead with two fingers before escaping into the house, leaving his younger brother to stare up at the clouds and dream of the day when he'd be able to use the secret code word that he could barely pronounce._

* * *

><p>Aaaaaand we're done! With this chapter, anyway!<p>

Just so everyone knows, This story will end at Chapter 20. Only a couple more chapters to go!

ALSO:

I HAVE A NEW STORY OUT!

It's in my profile, it's called "A New Year of You and I". I'd love it if you guys would al go check it out and read it! Thank you so much!

Please review!


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